The 36 Italian citizens who had left Niamey, the capital of the Niger. The special flight, an Air Force Boeing 767, arranged by the government, landed at 05:09. To welcome the compatriots the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and the US charge d’affaires in Rome. On board the flight, in addition to the 36 Italians, there were 21 Americans, four Bulgarians, two Austrians, a Nigerian, a Nigerian, a Hungarian and a Senegalese. In all 87 people who have decided to leave the West African country after the military coup that deposed the president Mohamed Bazoumin office since March 2021.
“The evacuation was very orderly. It is important to have brought back to Italy all our compatriots who wanted it”. So the Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, welcoming compatriots at the military airport. “I thank all the men who have worked hard in these days – continues Tajani. – A great job of our embassy with our officials, diplomats and others, who contacted all our compatriots from the first minute. There were no dangers neither for them nor for our embassy. We have been authorized by the new government which has allowed operations to take place on a regular basis. Now we will see what will happen in Niger: we are always in favor of one solution diplomatic for the restoration of democracy and that is why our embassy remains open”, concluded the deputy president of the Council of Ministers. Even the defense minister Guido Crosetto, he commented with satisfaction on the operation completed by Italian diplomats, underlining how the return of Italian and foreign passengers took place in complete safety thanks to the collaboration between the Foreign and Defense ministries.
Not only Italy grappling with evacuation operations. During the night, a first French plane, carrying 262 people, also landed at Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, around 1.30 am. “There are 262 people on board the Airbus A330, including about ten children,” the French foreign minister said, Catherine Colonna. In addition to a large majority of French citizens, Nigerien, Portuguese, Belgian, Ethiopian and Lebanese citizens have also landed in Paris. The arrival of a second flight is also expected in the next few hours. According to the French government, of the more than one thousand French citizens registered in the consular lists in Niger, 600 would like to return to their homeland.