The military junta has appointed an economist as Niger’s new prime minister to replace pro-Western president Mohamed Bazoum. The army staged a coup almost two weeks ago.
It concerns Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, the junta announced on national television on Monday. In the past he was Minister of Economy and Finance and until recently an economist at the African Development Bank in Chad.
Lamine Zeine takes Bazoum’s place. The president was captured during the coup and has not been released to date.
The announcement comes just after the ultimatum of the West African partnership ECOWAS has expired. The alliance had given the army until Sunday evening to reverse their actions, but the junta did not comply.
ECOWAS had threatened military action in Niger if the coup was not reversed. The coup plotters then closed the airspace on Monday. Military actions by ECOWAS are yet to take place.
ECOWAS member states will meet on Thursday in Abuja, the capital of neighboring Nigeria, to discuss the situation.
2023-08-08 03:19:07
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