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Mohamed Bazoum was sworn in as president of the African country of Niger on Friday.
He succeeded Mahamadou Issoufou, who had been president since 2011.
It was the first time since Niger gained independence from France in 1960 that one leader voluntarily handed over power to another after a democratic election.
Bazoum was elected in February this year in an election in which the loser, Mahamane Ousmane, claimed it was an electoral fraud.
Poll workers with ballot boxes during the presidential elections in Niger in February this year.
Photo: ISSOUF SANOGO / AFP
I have a price to go
Issoufou had served two five-year terms and the constitution allowed no more terms.
In several other African countries, leaders have ignored such restrictions or amended the constitution in order to retain power.
In March, it became clear that Issoufou will receive the Mo Ibrahim award for African leadership.
The award, established by Sudan-born British businessman Mo Ibrahim, is given to democratically elected African leaders who voluntarily resign from power after ruling well.
With the prize, the winner will receive 5 million dollars, just over 42 million Norwegian crowns. In addition, the winner receives $ 200,000, just over 1.7 million crowns, each year for the rest of his life.
The idea behind the sum is both to encourage leaders to resign voluntarily and to make sure they get enough money so they don’t feel the need to get rich illegally while running the country.
President Mohamed Bazoum and his wife Hadiza Ben Mabrouk during Friday’s ceremony in Niamey.
Photo: BOUREIMA HAMA / AFP
Islamist extremists
Although the transfer of power was carried out in a peaceful manner, a series of problems are expected for the new president.
Islamist extremists are becoming increasingly active in the Sahel region, which includes Niger, Mali and northern Nigeria.
Thousands of people have died and hundreds of thousands have fled as a result of these attacks, despite the presence of regional and international military forces.
The poorest country in the world
In addition to the violence, Niger has more than its share of poverty problems.
In the United Nations Development Index (HDI), led by Norway, Niger is ranked 189 and last.
The average life expectancy is 62.4 years and the population has an average of 2.1 years of schooling. Unesco figures show that less than 20 percent of the population can read and write.
