It has said it will also help other European nationals to leave.
The coup has prompted demonstrations against the former colonial power, with the French embassy coming under attack.
It comes as the juntas in Burkina Faso and Mali warned that any forcible attempt to restore the ousted president would be seen as a declaration of war.
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France will evacuate French and European citizens from Niger starting on Tuesday, its foreign ministry said, days after a junta seized power in the West African country.
ReplyDeleteItaly also said on Tuesday it would offer a special flight to repatriate its nationals from the capital Niamey. Niger's borders have been closed to commercial flights since military officers ousted President Mohamed Bazoum last Wednesday, Reuters reported.
The overthrow of Niger's democratically elected government - the seventh military takeover in less than three years in West and Central Africa - has sent shockwaves across the region, where Niger's Western allies fear losing influence to Russia.
Germany's foreign ministry on Tuesday advised its citizens in the capital of coup-hit Niger to take up an offer of leaving on French evacuation flights.
ReplyDelete"Our French colleagues have offered, within the limits of available capacity, to take German nationals on board their flights from Niger," a foreign ministry spokesman said.
"The foreign ministry advises ... all German nationals in Niamey to accept the offer." The ministry believes there are fewer than 100 German civilians in the country.
The Spanish government is preparing to evacuate more than 70 Spaniards in Niger by air after the military seized power in West African country, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.
ReplyDeleteA foreign ministry spokesperson declined to provide further details about the operation, such as whether Spain would send its own aircraft, citing security concerns.
The Spanish foreign ministry said embassy staff in Niamey have contacted Spanish residents and visitors there to coordinate the operation.
A French plane is on its way to Niamey airport to evacuate the first French nationals from Niger's capital, a source with knowledge of the evacuation operation has told AFP.
ReplyDeleteThe source did not specify when the plane was expected to return to France.
Diplomatic sources have said French and European nationals wishing to leave the country will be evacuated, on a voluntary basis.
The evacuation of the French military in Niger is not yet on the agenda, Agence France-Presse reported, citing a statement by the army general staff.
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