Denmark – Niger Country Policy Paper 2016-2020
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DENMARK – NIGER COUNTRY POLICY PAPER 2016-2020 March 2016 CONTENTS 1 DENMARK AND NIGER – INTRODUCTION AND FUTURE VISION 3 2 NATIONAL CONTEXT 5 3 DANISH ENGAGEMENT IN NIGER – A LONGSTANDING PARTNERSHIP 11 4 STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES AND KEY AREAS TO BE ADDRESSED 12 5 RISKS AND SCENARIOS 16 6 MONITORING AND EVALUATION FRAMEWORK 18 ANNEX 1 KEY DATA NIGER 19 ANNEX 2 DENMARK’S ONGOING COOPERATION WITH NIGER 21 ANNEX 3 OVERVIEW OF PROGRESS TOWARDS ATTAINING THE MDGS IN NIGER 22 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AQIM Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb NGOs Non-Governmental Organisations AU African Union OECD The Organisation for Economic and Co-operation CPIA Country Policy and Institutional Assessment and Development DB Doing Business OHCHR Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States PDES Le Plan de Développement Economique et Social EITI Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative SRHR Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights EU European Union UN United Nations IMF International Monetary Fund UNFPA United Nations Population Fund MDGs Millennium Development Goals WB World Bank MUJAO The Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa WDR World Development Report 1 DENMARK AND NIGER – INTRODUCTION AND FUTURE VISION The overall vision for Denmark’s engagement in Niger is to Considering the overall vision for Denmark’s engagement in support the government and people of Niger in order to maintain Niger the main objectives for Denmark will first and foremost peace and stability, re-enforce democratic values and provide be to strengthen stability and peace in Niger and the region, the opportunity for the people to embark on a long term effort enhance access to basic rights and reduce extreme poverty to improve living conditions. Niger faces tremendous challenges by a specific focus on resilience. Denmark will thereby address and the country policy is informed by Denmark’s commitment to key elements for the development of Niger related to stability, supporting Niger in remaining peaceful and stable and making a migration and poverty reduction. constructive contribution to the development of a troubled region. The Danish cooperation with Niger goes back to 1974. Though Niger faces very serious challenges – a hostile climate, deep limited in financial terms (approximately 50 mio. DKK per year) poverty and associated social tension aggravated by very high Denmark has achieved significant results and has played an population growth, a large and very sparsely populated landmass, important role in key areas within democracy and human rights, a fragile economy and a very young democracy which is being water supply and agriculture. Denmark is seen as a reputable and threatened by incursion of violent extremism from neighbouring reliable partner. The long standing development cooperation has countries. To this should be added that Niger is a key transit resulted in a solid and trustworthy partnership between the two country for migration flows to Europe. Despite these challenges countries. It is seen by Niger as important that Denmark as one of the government of Niger has managed in recent years to establish the few bilateral donors in the country continues its engagement a fairly stable society and achieved some degree of economic to address the causes of poverty and conflicts. development partly but not exclusively based on exploitation of mineral resources. The objective of this policy paper is to establish the strategic framework for Denmark’s engagement in Niger over the coming Being the largest and the most populous country of the Sahel five years (2016–2020). The Danish engagement will build on region and acting as geopolitical buffer between Sahara and results obtained so far and focus on areas where Denmark has Nigeria, peace and stability in Niger plays a paramount role for comparative advantages. The future engagement will also take the stability in the whole region. A breakdown of the social and into consideration that there is no longer a Danish presence political order could have a major destabilising effect on the in Niger, thus it must be expected that delegated partnerships region. The EU is acknowledging that Niger plays an important and cooperation with multilateral organisation will play a key role in handling irregular migration, and Niger thus constitutes role in implementation of the activities. The political dialogue an essential partner in the EU´s cooperation with African partners with Niger will continue mainly through EU cooperation. on migration. Also the government of Niger is acutely aware of its role as a transit country and has – as the first country in Due to the uncertainties associated with the very complicated the Sahel-region – adopted legislation strengthening prosecution situation in key areas such as security and democracy that might of human traffickers and describing migrants as victims of human impact negatively on Niger’s development it will be of paramount rights violations. However, the implementation is hampered importance to have a flexible strategy that can be adapted to major by weak capacity both at government and local level as well and possibly unexpected events. as socio-economic challenges. Tackling the key challenges of irregular migration through Niger should be based on a comprehensive approach encompassing political dialogue, long-term development assistance, humanitarian assistance and regional stabilisation activities. It is therefore essential for Niger that Denmark supports its efforts to address these key challenges. 3 O . LIBYAN T a f ARAB JAMAHIRIYA a s s a NIGER s s e Tamanrasset t Enn er i Ac helou ma En Madama ne ri B A L G E R I A l a NIGER k a Djado Zouar Séguedine National capital Departmental capital I-n-Guezzâm Town, village Assamakka A G A D E Z Major airport i o Dirkou s h International boundary g e Arlit Bilma M Departmental boundary - m Irhazer - i Oua-n-Agadez Main road T Fachi Secondary road Timia Track Railroad ak ou za Teguidda-n- A l' e Tessoumt 0 100 200 300 km d e é Agadez ll a Tassara V 0 100 200 mi Ingal Gao M A L I N Ménaka D I F F A ig r e za Aderbissinat Termit-Kaoboul r A TA H O U A o Njourti s s Abalak o Bani B Tânout C H A D Yatakala l Tahoua Z I N D E R Bangou o l Ayorou l a Keïta D Bagaroua Bankilaré Illéla Bouza Tillabéry Ouallam Filingué Dakoro Nguigmi Mao Téra TILLABÉRI Birnin Madaoua MARADI Baléyara Konni Gouré Dargol Dogondoutchi Tessaoua Zinder a Niamey b Bol ir ima Maïné S R Maradi Diffa e DOSSO Yob Soroa gu bi Say du Lake Chad arou Birnin Gaouré a G m Katsina Magaria Nguru u o Dosso Sokoto Komadug K BURKINA to S Kaura Dioundiou o ok C La Tapoa k o Namoda a A o t ana d FASO N S o G d M gu a N'Djamena Kantchari i Birnin Kebbi g E g N I G E R I A du e N r Zamfara a R Gusau ejia m Kano Had o The boundaries and names shown and the designations O C Fada- Diapaga Gaya K h O used on this map do not imply official endorsement or a Ngourma Dutse r N BENIN Ka acceptance by the United Nations. i Map No. 4234 UNITED NATIONS Department of Peacekeeping Operations December 2004 Cartographic Section NIGER FACTS Area 1,267,000 km2 Population size 17.83 million Annual population growth 3.9 % Population groups Haussa (53 %) Djerma-Sonraï (21 %) Tuareg (10 %) Fulani (10 %) Others (6 %) Language French (official) Religion Muslims (95 %) 4 2 NATIONAL CONTEXT In this challenging environment one of A FRAGILE COUNTRY economic interests. The northern area the most decisive forces of change will IN AN UNSTABLE REGION is inaccessible and sparsely populated include the destabilising influence of which makes effective control of national radical or criminal movements and general The Sahel region has become increasingly territories extremely difficult. lawlessness in neighbouring countries. instable over recent decades. Niger has Another important force of change will long been considered a fairly stable Instability and armed conflicts in be a volatile political climate where ethnic country in an unstable region. However, neighbouring countries contribute to tensions traditionally have been a major the stability is fragile and threatened by severe pressure on Niger: Mali to the west, worry which now is being supplemented the instability in the region, the presence Libya to the north and Nigeria – a central by increasing risks of radicalisation of terrorist groups and domestic political trading partner – to the south. The and the effects of climate change on tension. presence of the major jihadist groups a very perilous natural resource situation. AQIM, MUJAO/Al-Murabitoon and Boko The way forward will depend on the The region has known several armed Haram with increased and still more government’s willingness to engage conflicts and terrorist organisations have organised terror-activities poses a serious in critical reforms and could build on extended their activities over recent years. risk to Niger’s security, stability and the economic opportunities available Many of the historic trade routes across territorial integrity. Taking into account in mineral extraction and increased the desert are currently controlled by the magnitude and complexity of these agricultural production. terrorist and criminal networks. Drugs, conflicts, it must be expected that Niger weapon and human trafficking have taken will have to cope with the consequences unprecedented dimensions involving great of regional instability for years to come. BOX 1 NIGER – A CHALLENGING CLIMATE, HIGH POPULATION GROWTH AND MASSIVE POVERTY • Niger is landlocked. Although the largest country in the Sahel, only 11 pct. of the land is suitable for cultivation, primarily in the south and in the west along the Niger river, where almost the entire population is living in semi-arid conditions.