Niger: Tchiani sworn in as transitional president, cementing his grip on power

Abdourahamane Tchiani, the leader of Niger’s military junta, has been officially sworn in as the Sahel country’s transitional president, marking the beginning of a five-year rule under a new charter that replaces the constitution.
The ceremony took place in Niamey on Wednesday (26 March), and Tchiani, who led the July 2023 coup that ousted democratically elected president Mohamed Bazoum, was also promoted to the rank of army general. This move defies regional pressure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which had rejected the military junta’s initial proposal for a three-year transition and threatened military intervention to force Niamey to restore democracy. The new five-year “flexible” transition period can be extended depending on security conditions or the pace of reforms, according to government officials.
Tchiani’s assumption of power follows a troubling trend of prolonged military transitions in the Sahel region, with similar situations unfolding in Mali and Burkina Faso. His government has dissolved all political parties, consolidating power within the military establishment. Niger has also shifted its alliances, severing ties with traditional partners like the United States and France, and strengthening its relationship with Russia, which has supported the junta. As Niger’s military regime consolidates its power, critics argue that the junta has failed to address the escalating jihadi violence that initially justified their coup, while continuing to clamp down on civil rights. The long transition period could further isolate Niger within the region and lead to strengthened ties with Russia at the expense of West African unity.