The European Union has announced the recall of its ambassador from Niger following the military government’s criticism of an EU delegation’s handling of humanitarian aid intended for flood victims, as stated by the European External Action Service (EEAS) on Saturday.

On Friday, Niger’s junta released a statement accusing the EU ambassador of improperly allocating a 1.3 million euro fund for flood relief among various international NGOs without transparency and without engaging with local authorities.

In response, the junta has initiated an audit of the fund’s management. The EEAS expressed strong disagreement with the claims and rationale presented by the transitional authorities, stating, “As a result, the EU has opted to recall its ambassador from Niamey for consultations in Brussels.”

Niger has been governed by military rule since the junta took control in a coup in 2023.