Niger’s military leader announced on Monday that it had suspended all cooperation with the International Organization of Francophone Nations (OIF) to sever ties with former colonial ruler France.

The OIF is an institution among French-speaking countries with the aim to promote political, educational, economic and cultural cooperation, which currently has 88 members. In the press conference held on Monday, Niger’s Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane called the OIF “an instrument in the interests of France,” and declared the suspension of cooperation between Niger and the organization. According to the OIF, cooperation with Niger had already suspended last week because of the coup, but programs “directly benefiting civilian populations, and those contributing to the restoration of democracy” would be maintained.

Niger’s first elected president Mohamed Bazoum was overthrown by a military coup on July 26 and detained thereafter. The Conseil National pour la Sauvegarde de la Patrie (the National Council for the Safeguarding of the Fatherland, CNSP), the junta that initiated the coup and took power in Niger, has proclaimed itself as the new leader of the country. After it came into power, the CNSP has been implementing various measures seeking to reject French influence in Niger, including ejecting French diplomats, blocking French media RFI and France24 and urging French troops to leave country. In its statement, the CNSP called for the decolonization of African people and the establishment of “Pan-Africanism” in the Sahel region.

Although the coup sparked criticism and sanctions from the international community for its threat to democracy and constitutional order, the CNSP released a statement on December 19, claiming that the UN Credentials Committee had recognized the legitimacy of the new government of Niger by its report A/78/605 of December 6.