New US envoy arrives in Niger - State Department

The new U.S. Ambassador to Niger Kathleen FitzGibbon has arrived in the capital, Niamey, but will not formally present her credentials due to the "current political crisis," the U.S. State Department announced on Saturday.

FitzGibbon's arrival in Niger "does not reflect a change in our policy position but responds to the need for senior leadership of our mission at a challenging time," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.