Source : Sahel weather February 2025

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In Niger, the Refoundation Charter, promulgated on Wednesday 26 March, paves the way for the military to remain in power until 2030, raising questions about the country's democratic future. In addition, Abdourahamane Tiani has been given the rank of army general and has taken the decision to dissolve Niger's political parties, a measure that could complicate national political dialogue. The political news in Niger during the month of February was marked by the holding, in the capital, of the Assises nationales from February 15 to 19 to discuss the duration of the transition, among other subjects. General Tiani's role is to draw up a preliminary draft of the Transition Charter, a fundamental document for structuring the political transition process. An ad hoc commission has been set up to formulate operational recommendations to support the political authorities during the transition. It should be remembered that these meetings were announced in the early days of the Tiani-led military seizure of power. At the end of the discussions, it seems that the participants want a long transition to allow the Head of State to implement these reforms. According to the general rapporteur, the main proposals revolve around "Dissolving the existing political parties and drawing up a new Constitution and an amnesty for the perpetrators of the coup d'état".

The 716 "assisards" from all over the country proposed to the President of the Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie du Niger, through what they called the "charte de la refondation", a five-year term at the head of the State renewable and that he adopt the title of President of the Republic. At the same time, the dissolution of the 172 parties was proposed to the participants, causing controversy among the public. While some deplore the decision, others approve. According to journalist Sedik Abba, "...people are disappointed with the current political parties and fear that if we start again with the same players and the same political structures, we'll find ourselves reliving the same experiences in a few years' time". For his part, the Head of State pledged to implement the strong recommendations that emerged from the conclave's discussions. According to him, "These results are also the fruit of the collective work of all the nation's driving forces, and we have every reason to believe that they have won the support of our sovereign people".

The security situation in Niger has not yet calmed down. During the month, terrorist attacks were recorded, notably in the tri-border area in the Tillabéri region. Earlier this month, the country was the target of an ambush which resulted in the death of 10 men on the side of the armyNigerien . The assailants finally managed to disappear into thin air after their exaction. According to one source, "It was during the operation that a group of criminals ambushed the Internal Security Forces detachment, resulting in the loss of ten of our soldiers". In December, near the same area, a dozen soldiers were killed by unidentified gunmen. This poses a real security problem in this part of the country.

During the month of February, the armed forces of Niger and Burkina Faso carried out a number of security operations, particularly on their borders, with a view to stepping up the fight against terrorism. On February 16, they neutralized several terrorists and dismantled several logistical hubs along the river. The sweep was part of a joint operation called "Sudu Lugdu", aimed at improving security in the areas between Kantchari (Burkina Faso) and Tamou (Niger), which are plagued by massive terrorism. For almost 10 years, this area has been subjected to deadly terrorist attacks.

The news was also marked by the arrest of Nigerian rebel leader Mahamoud Sallah, a supporter of Mohamed Bazoum. The leader of the Patriotic Liberation Front was arrested by elements of Unit 87 of the Libyan National Army on February 23 in southern Libya. He had claimed responsibility for sabotaging an oil pipeline between Niger and Benin.