On Saturday, August 19, 2023, the U.S. State Department announced that the new United States ambassador to Niger, Kathleen Fitzgibbons, has arrived in the capital Niamey. However, she will not formally present her credentials due to the “current political crisis.”
The spokesperson for the State Department, Matthew Miller, stated that the diplomat’s arrival in Niger “does not reflect a change in our political stance but responds to the need for high-level leadership of our mission during a challenging time.”
The United States has emphasized a diplomatic solution to the crisis that unfolded when Nigerien military officers seized power, ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, and placed him under house arrest. “Fitzgibbons’ diplomatic objective will be to advocate for a diplomatic solution that preserves constitutional order in Niger and for the immediate release of President Bazoum and his family, as well as all unlawfully detained individuals,” Miller said.
A senior official announced on Friday that following the July 26 coup in Niamey, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has agreed upon a date for a military intervention aimed at restoring constitutional order.
