ABSTRACT
Niger is a minor player in its region, on its continent, and certainly on the world stage, and it leaders have had extremely limited military and diplomatic resources available to them to pursue independent policies. Its armed forces of about 3,300 troops, equipped with few modern weapons and supported by only a tiny air force, compare very unfavorably with those of its three powerful neighbors, Nigeria, Libya, and Algeria. Niger's connection with France has been its most important relationship by far since independence. Niger's connection with France has been its most important relationship by far since independence. Niger's relationship with France has depended on a considerable element of mutuality of interests. The gradual erosion of the Francophone bloc altered Franco-Nigerien relations and increased the potential for Niger's leaders to assert more autonomy from France. Niger's relations with other world powers are more specialized and have complemented rather than displaced its dependence on France.
