- The military junta’s spokesperson revealed this decision on television during Monday night
- ECOWAS member states’ prime ministers will gather in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, on Thursday to discuss future actions in response to the ongoing situation
Approximately two weeks following the military assumption of power in Niger, the individuals behind the coup have designated Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, a former economy minister, to serve as the nation’s new prime minister.
A spokesperson for the military junta conveyed this announcement via television during the late hours of Monday.
Previously, Mr. Lamine Zeine held the position of economy and finance minister for several years within the cabinet of the ousted then-President Mamadou Tandja in 2010. More recently, he has been employed as an economist at the African Development Bank in Chad, as reported by a Nigerien media source.
In late July, the military overthrew democratically elected President Mohamed Bazoum and suspended the country’s constitution, impacting its populace of 26 million.
During Mr. Bazoum’s tenure, Niger stood as a vital ally of the Western nations in combating the advancement of Islamist extremist groups in the Sahel region.
An ultimatum extended by ECOWAS to the coup orchestrators, urging the reinstatement of Mr. Bazoum, lapsed on Sunday.
In a subsequent development, the prime ministers representing the ECOWAS member states will convene in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, on Thursday. The purpose of this meeting is to deliberate on the future course of action.
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