GNA delegation visits Niger in search of oil from Niamey

Terrorist groups are taking advantage of the deteriorating
security situation in African countries, especially on Libya’s border with
Niger. Recently, some officials from the Tripoli-based Government of National
Accord (GNA) visited Niger as part of a delegation headed by GNA Defense
Minister Salah Eddine al-Namrush, accompanied by his chief of staff, Mohamed al-Haddad.
The visit has provoked questions, especially since it came a few months after
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoglu visited Niamey, amid fears of
arrangements being made to sow chaos and provide support to terrorist groups in
Africa’s Sahel region.
Abuse and pressure
Experts believe that these visits were aimed at controlling
the oil sources in the region, which is considered a center for terrorist cells
loyal to Turkey. From another angle, the Turkish presence has malicious intent,
including putting pressure on Paris, which has Operation Barkhane forces in the
area combating terrorism in the Sahel.
Turkey is penetrating Niger under the cloak of humanitarian
aid through various associations, including the Turkish Cooperation and
Coordination Agency (TIKA), which is deployed in areas adjacent to the French base.
The recent attack in Niger was evidence of terrorists targeting the French
forces, after eight civilians, including six French, were targeted in southeast
of the capital Niamey.
Obstruction and exploitation
Mohamed Rabie al-Daihi, a researcher in international
relations, told the Reference that the GNA is living in a state of rupture and
international and Arab rejection due to its cooperation with Turkey. Its
delegation’s visit to Niger comes with the aim of seeking support in Africa away
from Tunisia and Algeria, which have failed to join Ankara in its sabotage camp
in the region.
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune announced that
Algeria's vision of the situation in Libya is in agreement with France, Daihi
added, while Tunisian President Kais Saied previously affirmed during his visit
to Paris in June that the GNA’s legitimacy is temporary and must be replaced by
a legitimate government derived from the Libyan people.
Daihi explained that the GNA delegation’s visit to Niger
aims to attract support from Niamey. In recent years, Niger has become an
active scene for takfiri and terrorist groups, which have close links with Boko
Haram and terrorist groups in northern Mali, as well as terrorist groups active
in Libya.