Abdourahamane Tiani, leader of Niger’s ruling junta, has been officially sworn in as transitional president for a five-year term under a newly established charter.
Tiani, a former commander of the presidential guard who led the 2023 coup, was also promoted to the highest military rank of army general.
Following his inauguration, he signed a decree dissolving all political parties in the country.
The swearing-in ceremony took place on Wednesday in Niamey, the capital, signaling the beginning of what government secretary general Mahamane Roufai described as a “flexible” transition period.
This move poses a direct challenge to efforts by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to restore democracy and reintegrate Niger into the regional bloc.
Initially, Tiani proposed a three-year transition to civilian rule, a plan ECOWAS rejected, warning of possible military intervention.
After failing to reach a compromise, Niger joined Mali and Burkina Faso in withdrawing from ECOWAS—a decision that was officially finalized earlier this year.
