Ottawa monitoring Niger unrest, no Canadian evacuation currently planned for hundreds
Ottawa is monitoring the unrest in Niger following last week’s military coup, but has no imminent plans for evacuating the hundreds of Canadians in the West African country.
Global Affairs Canada says 269 people have officially registered in Ottawa’s database of citizens abroad as being in Niger, where a faction of the military claims to have overthrown democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum.
In a statement, Ottawa says it’s closely monitoring “the evolving situation on the ground” and that there are no Canadian diplomats in Niger, since those assigned to the country work from neighbouring Mali.
Global Affairs Canada says Ottawa “is not planning any assisted departure or repatriation flights for Canadians in Niger,” while France has been moving European citizens out of the country.