The "green belt" of trees surrounding Niger’s capital, which was created to stop the advance of the Sahara desert, is dying a slow death.

Niger’s junta leader called on voters to turn out massively Monday to close the door on military rule by electing a new, civilian president.

"A child if I want and when I want," reads the sign at the family-health centre in Niamey where dozens of Niger women come to get free contraceptives. "I was taking the pill…