Niger’s junta leader Tiani sworn in as transitional president for five years

Abdourahamane Tiani, the Niger Republic’s junta leader, has been sworn in as the country’s president for a transition period of five years under a new charter.

Tiani, a general and former leader of the presidential guard who led the coup in 2023, was also promoted to the country’s highest military rank of army general and signed a decree dissolving all political parties.

The ceremony took place on Wednesday in Niamey, Niger’s capital, and marked the beginning of the five-year “flexible” transition period, according to Mahamane Roufai, secretary general of the government.

The move counters efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to invite the country back into the regional bloc and to reinstate democracy.

Shortly after the coup, Tiani proposed that the country would return to civilian rule within three years, but ECOWAS rejected the plan and threatened to use military force.

Following the failure to arrive at a compromise, Niger, alongside Mali and Burkina Faso, left the bloc—a decision that was made permanent earlier this year.