African Studies
Utafiti: Journal of African Perspectives
Call for Papers: Utafiti is inviting you to submit your manuscript – any topic in the humanities - for consideration in the next issues.
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Political, social and economic developments contributed to an eventful year. In February a coup d’état ended President Tandja’s hold on power, itself the result of a constitutional putsch in 2009 that aimed to perpetuate his rule by illegal means. The military’s action seemed to confirm its unofficial role as guardian of the constitutional order – as in 1999, when a putsch heralded the return to civilian rule. The junta detained the president while beginning discussions with representatives of civil society on the modalities of a transition period that should return the country to constitutional rule within the year. Sections of the political class became the object of an anti-corruption drive and a new constitution was drawn up in a process of broad-based consultations and successfully put to the vote in October. Before the year was out, local elections had taken place ahead of legislative and presidential polls scheduled for early 2011. The economy was affected by a sharp fall in external budget aid and famine conditions resulting from the disappointing harvest of 2009. The situation turned into a humanitarian crisis worse than in 2005. Aid came late, while the new rainy season resulted in floods, leaving thousands of people homeless, destroying crops and drowning livestock, which had already suffered badly from the 2009 drought. The government broke with Tandja’s policy of denial of Niger’s vulnerability to famine, while the rains presaged a better harvest for 2010. The security situation in the Saharan zone deteriorated, with Tuareg kidnappers, working on behalf of al-Qaida in the (Land of the) Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), becoming more brazen in targeting Western nationals. The previous year’s truce with Tuareg rebel factions held, although it was not tied up in a formal agreement. The junta substantially improved the country’s foreign relations, ending international isolation and achieving the progressive resumption of aid. It celebrated the 50th anniversary of Independence in appropriately modest fashion.