Cooperation with Libya to help Niger fight terrorism and arms trafficking: expert.
The strategic cooperation agreement signed on November 1 between Niamey and the eastern Libyan authorities led by Khalifa Haftar is a decisive step for the security of Niger, Nigerian political analyst Abdo Momoni Dandosa told Sputnik Africa.
Since "most of the weapons used by armed terrorist groups" originate in Libya, a new coordination mechanism, mainly in Agadez, and regular intelligence sharing will help the two countries monitor the border and curb arms smuggling, he noted.
By cooperating with Libya and deepening ties with Algeria at the same time, Niamey is actively diversifying its allies to gain stronger leverage, the spokesman stressed.
According to Dandosa, this approach gives Niger greater room for maneuver, breaking away from the era when its military cooperation depended almost exclusively on France.
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