As international demands for a return to constitutional order in Niger grow, the generals responsible for the coup d’état on July 26th are consolidating their power.
On Monday, the coup leaders announced the appointment of a new Prime Minister through a statement broadcasted on public television. Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, the selected individual for the role, is no stranger to government service.
Zeine previously served as the Finance Minister from 2002 until the overthrow of President Mamadou Tandja in a coup in 2010 led by Commander Salou Djibo. Subsequently, a presidential election was won by Mahamadou Issoufou, predecessor to Mohamed Bazoum, who was ousted on July 26th of this year.
Born in 1965 in Zinder (south), the country’s second-most populous city, Zeine began his career in the Ministry of Economy and Finance in 1991 following his studies at the National School of Administration (ENA) in Niamey. He also holds a diploma from the Center for Financial, Economic, and Banking Studies in Marseille and Paris.
In addition to his government roles, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine has represented the African Development Bank (ADB) in Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, and Gabon.
Furthermore, the coup leaders appointed Lieutenant-Colonel Habibou Assoumane as the “Commander of the Presidential Guard,” added Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane on national television.
These appointments come right after the expiration of an ultimatum set by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to the ruling military, demanding the reinstatement of President Mohamed Bazoum. These developments occur amid mounting international pressures, as the world watches how the situation unfolds in Niger.