While Niger has had difficult relations with its neighbors Benin and Nigeria, its ties with Chad are flourishing. Meetings between officials from both countries continue, underscoring their strong cooperation. In December, the Prime Minister of the junta, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, was received in Ndjamena by Mahamat Idriss Deby. On Tuesday, he welcomed the Chadian Minister of Defense to the prime minister’s office to discuss security and border cooperation between the two nations.
Niger and Chad are described as “brotherly countries” that provide “mutual support,” as highlighted by General Mody, the Nigerien Minister of Defense, who attended the meeting along with the Chief of Staff of the Army, Colonel Mamane Sani Kiaou, former head of the Nigerien component of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region.
According to a Chadian security source, Ndjamena is actively working towards Niamey’s concrete reintegration into this force. Since the coup, Niger has ceased participating in joint operations, consistently refusing to collaborate with Nigeria.
The latest operation, Lake Sanity 2, launched two weeks ago in Northeast Nigeria and Cameroon to secure travel corridors, involves units from these two countries and Chad, but not Niger.
Nevertheless, General Mody praised the situation as “under control” and highlighted “effective coordination among allied forces.” Another shared area of interest is the possible development of an armed movement among the Toubou and Arab communities in the Northern border zone, adjacent to Libya. The Patriotic Liberation Front attacked a military position last Saturday. According to Nigerian security sources, the CNSP seeks Ndjamena’s assistance in quelling this rebellion.