France started to evacuate its nationals to Niger in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, two Airbus A330 of the Air Force have already returned to Paris with returnees.
A first plane, with 262 people (including a dozen babies) from Niamey, in Niger, landed shortly after 1:30 a.m. (23:30 GMT) at Paris-Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport. A second plane followed shortly before 5 a.m.
According to Catherine Colonna, Minister of Foreign Affairs, “almost all“passengers disembarked from the first plane”are compatriots“. Apart from the French, Portuguese, Belgians, Ethiopians and Lebanese were also part of the trip, according to the Quai d’Orsay. The second flight carried Frenchmen, Nigeriens, Germans, Belgians, Canadians, Americans, Austrians and Indians.
Of the approximately 1,200 French people registered on the consular lists in Niger, according to Paris, 600 nationals wish to return to France. The will of the French authorities is to close the operation at midday on Wednesday, with two more evacuation flights.
#Niger | “We are setting up air resources from today to allow our compatriots, who would like to leave, to do so.”
@MinColonna August 1, 2023 on the evacuation of nationals.@CdCMAE @Armees_Gouv pic.twitter.com/mAUXdrPl3M— France Diplomacy
(@francediplo) August 1, 2023
