Niamey – Niger has appointed Major General Abdou Sidikou Issa as its ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Russia. The decision was announced during the last council of ministers on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. General Sidikou Issa, formerly the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces, played a crucial role in de-escalating potential violence during the political unrest on July 26, 2023.
According to Burkina Information Agency, General Sidikou Issa was educated at Saint-Cyr and completed the Koulikoro Staff Course in Mali. He holds a Master 2 in International Security Studies from the University of Perugia, as well as a Master in International Strategic Military Studies from the University of Milan and the LUIS University of Rome. During the overthrow of President Bazoum, General Sidikou Issa aligned with General Abdourahamane Tiani’s National Council for the Protection of the Homeland, advocating for a peaceful resolution and warning against the dangers of external military intervention.