NIGER: National convention on transition charter to hold

Niger’s military regime will organise a “national convention” from February 15 to 19, notably intended to set the duration of the transition period that began with the 2023 overthrow of civilian President Mohamed Bazoum, the interior ministry said.

The ministry unveiled the dates in a press release broadcast overnight Saturday on state television, adding that the gathering would take place in the capital Niamey.

In August 2023, shortly after taking power in a coup, General Abdourahamane Tiani announced the organisation of an “inclusive national dialogue” to outline the priority areas of governance and lay down the duration of the transition.

At the time, he mentioned a maximum duration of three years, but he has not addressed the issue since.

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Early last year, consultations were held across the country’s eight regions to lay out a working basis for next week’s meetings, with a national commission also created by presidential decree to oversee the work of the four-day conference set to produce a “preliminary draft of the transition charter”.