Washington sending new ambassador to Niger, will not present credentials to military junta

(Patria) - New US Ambassador to Niger Kathleen FitzGibbon is arriving in Niamey after last month's coup, the State Department said, as a signal that Washington continues to engage with the situation, Reuters reports.

A US official said she is expected to arrive in Niger later this week. The Senate confirmed FitzGibbon, a foreign service officer, as the US ambassador late last month, shortly after the coup, nearly a year after she was nominated.

Deputy State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters that there are no plans for her to present credentials to the coup leaders and that it is not necessary for the embassy to operate.

“She is going there to lead the mission at a critical time and to support the American community and to coordinate the US government's efforts,” Patel said.

“Her arrival does not reflect a change in our stance, and we continue to advocate for a diplomatic solution that respects Niger's constitutional order,” he added.

The West and some African countries have called on the coup leaders to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, but the junta has rejected these demands.