New US ambassador to Niger to arrive in country later this week
(VOVWORLD) - The new US ambassador to Niger, Kathleen FitzGibbon, will arrive in Niamey to begin work this week, the State Department said on Wednesday.
 State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel (Photo: indianexpress)
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This decision ends more than one and a half years since the position of US Ambassador in Niger was left absent.
State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said there are no plans for her to present her credentials to coup leaders.
Her arrival does not reflect a change in the US’s viewpoint on Niger, said Patel, adding that Washington continues to advocate for a diplomatic solution that respects the constitutional order there.
The Senate confirmed FitzGibbon as US ambassador late last month, nearly a year after she was nominated and just after the coup.
The US, Western powers, and democratic African governments have been calling for the coup leaders to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, whom coup leaders have been detaining since July 26.
The US also affirmed that it still prioritizes diplomatic solutions to solve the crisis, adding that military intervention should be the last resort.