Can Paris and Niamey still talk after two agents’ expulsion? The question hangs over Franco-Nigerien relations after French authorities declared two agents of Niger’s intelligence services — officially assigned to the Nigerien embassy in Paris — persona non grata. The decision, reported on 8 October 2026, underscores how far the diplomatic bond has frayed since the July 2023 coup in Niamey. What is at stake is not merely the fate of two individuals, but the survival of any channel for dialogue between two states whose trust has steadily eroded.
Two Nigerien agents ordered out of France
France expelled two operatives of the Direction générale de la documentation et de la sécurité extérieure (DGDSE), Niger’s intelligence service, who were formally serving at the Nigerien embassy in Paris. The two men were declared persona non grata on 16 September and left French territory three days later, according to information published on 8 October 2026.
A French diplomatic source cited in the same publication said their presence was no longer justified because of the absence of bilateral cooperation between Paris and Niamey. A Nigerien source, however, claimed that one of the agents was suspected of conducting surveillance activities targeting Nigerien opponents living in France.
The measure comes as cooperation channels between the two capitals have narrowed dramatically. It also highlights the difficulties diplomatic missions face when political trust between states deteriorates for the long term.
What the expulsion reveals about a broken partnership
The incident is not isolated. It is the latest in a series of retaliatory measures that have progressively stripped the two countries of direct dialogue. For Niger, the expulsion signals that Paris still treats Niamey’s authorities with suspicion. For France, it reflects a calculation that without bilateral cooperation, the presence of intelligence personnel at the embassy carries more risk than benefit.
July 2023, the breaking point
To understand this new affair, one must return to 26 July 2023, when President Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown by soldiers grouped in the Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie (CNSP) under General Abdourahamane Tiani.
Paris, which supported the ousted president and demanded the restoration of constitutional order, refused to recognise the legitimacy of the new military authorities. Niamey, for its part, denounced France’s stance and rejected what it considered interference in its internal affairs.
The crisis quickly moved beyond political statements. On 25 August 2023, Nigerien authorities asked France’s ambassador, Sylvain Itté, to leave the country within 48 hours. Paris disputed the decision, arguing that the new authorities lacked the legitimacy to end his functions.
After weeks of standoff, French President Emmanuel Macron announced on 24 September 2023 the ambassador’s departure and the withdrawal of French troops stationed in Niger. The military pullout was completed by the end of 2023. That sequence marked a major turning point in relations between the two countries.
Expulsions and reciprocal retaliation
The crisis did not stop at the French ambassador’s departure. It brought restrictions on nationals, visas and diplomatic activities.
In February 2024, several French citizens were turned back upon arrival in Niamey despite holding valid travel documents. According to accounts gathered at the time, Nigerien authorities were demanding specific authorisations for certain French travellers. Paris had also revoked several visas granted to Nigerien nationals, in a context of mutual reprisals.
France’s embassy in Niamey subsequently closed, with French authorities citing serious obstacles to its missions. In May 2024, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs confirmed to the Senate that the closure would continue until further notice.
The current decision targeting two Nigerien agents thus fits into a long series of measures that have gradually reduced the possibilities for direct dialogue between the two states.
How the diplomatic toolbox shrank
Each expulsion, visa revocation or embassy closure has narrowed the space for official contact. What remains are formal diplomatic ties that exist more on paper than in practice. The question is whether any working channel survives beneath the surface.
A deeper political and security rupture
Beyond expulsions, the Franco-Nigerien crisis reflects a political reorientation of Niger. The military authorities in Niamey have progressively strengthened ties with Mali and Burkina Faso, both also led by military regimes born of coups. The three countries formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), which displays a determination to reinforce the political and security sovereignty of its members.
At the same time, the French military presence — long presented by Paris as an important element in the fight against armed groups in the region — came to an end in Niger. Nigerien authorities have multiplied criticism of French policy in the Sahel, while Paris has defended its action and denounced obstacles imposed on its representatives.
This evolution is part of a regional context where sovereignty, security, military partnerships and control of resources occupy a central place in public debate.
The expulsion of the two agents also recalls that even when political relations are deeply degraded, diplomatic missions and intelligence activities remain sensitive subjects. The official presence of personnel linked to intelligence services in an embassy is not, in itself, unusual in international relations. However, any accusation of clandestine activity must be examined in the light of verifiable evidence.
What future for dialogue between Paris and Niamey?
The new French measure is a further indicator of the weakness of bilateral relations. It does not necessarily mean a total diplomatic rupture, since Niger’s embassy in Paris remains open according to published information. It does confirm, however, that cooperation between the two countries remains heavily impeded.
For Nigerien and French populations, the consequences go beyond the diplomatic arena. Reduced institutional exchanges can complicate consular procedures, economic relations, cooperation projects and consultation mechanisms on regional security.
The central question remains the conditions for any eventual normalisation. That would require functional communication channels, a clarification of disputes and political will on both sides to resume dialogue without abandoning positions each government considers essential.
In the meantime, the expulsion of the two Nigerien agents appears as another episode in a crisis that opened in July 2023 and whose effects continue to be felt. Between distrust, accusations and strategic distancing, Paris and Niamey remain confronted with a major challenge: preserving the means of diplomatic communication even as the trust that once underpinned them has considerably eroded.