Mohamed Bazoum, born on January 1, 1960, is a Nigerien politician who served as the President of Niger from April 2021 until his ousting in a coup d'état in July 2023. He was born in Bilabrine, a village in the Diffa Region of southeastern Niger, and is a member of the Arab minority group in Niger. He grew up in modest circumstances, attending local schools before continuing his education in philosophy at the University of Dakar in Senegal.

Bazoum began his political career as a founding member of the Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism (PNDS-Tarayya) in the early 1990s. This party became one of the main political movements in Niger, advocating for democratic governance and social justice. Bazoum held several key positions within the party and government, including serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 1996 and again from 2011 to 2015. His leadership within the party and his diplomatic efforts helped to shape Niger’s foreign policy, especially in maintaining relations with neighboring countries and managing regional security issues, particularly concerning the threat of jihadist groups in the Sahel region.

In 2016, Bazoum was appointed as Minister of State for the Interior, Public Security, Decentralization, and Customary and Religious Affairs. In this role, he was tasked with overseeing internal security, managing Niger’s response to insurgent threats, and handling domestic affairs. His tenure was marked by efforts to strengthen the capacity of Niger’s security forces and implement measures to curb the spread of terrorism and insurgency in the region.

Bazoum became the PNDS-Tarayya’s candidate for the 2021 presidential election, after President Mahamadou Issoufou stepped down at the end of his second term, in accordance with Niger's constitutional term limits. Bazoum won the presidential election in February 2021 with over 55% of the vote in the second round, defeating former President Mahamane Ousmane. His victory marked Niger's first democratic transition of power between two elected presidents, a significant milestone for the country, which had experienced several military coups since gaining independence from France in 1960.

As president, Bazoum prioritized improving security, promoting economic development, and enhancing education, particularly for girls, as key aspects of his administration. He inherited a country grappling with ongoing insurgencies by jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State in the west, as well as Boko Haram in the southeast. Bazoum’s government continued the cooperation with international forces, including the French-led Operation Barkhane and the G5 Sahel, to combat terrorism in the region.

However, his presidency was short-lived. In July 2023, Bazoum was overthrown in a military coup led by General Abdourahamane Tchiani. The coup was met with widespread condemnation from the international community, including the African Union, the United Nations, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which demanded the restoration of constitutional order in Niger. Bazoum has been detained since the coup, and there have been calls for his release and the reinstatement of democratic governance in Niger.

Bazoum’s political career is notable for his dedication to democracy, stability, and development in Niger, although his presidency faced significant challenges from regional instability and internal political turmoil.

Reference link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohamed_Bazoum