VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNM #0898/01 2351209
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 231209Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2826
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUFGNOA/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE

UNCLAS NIAMEY 000898 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
STATE FOR AF/RSA AND AF/W (BACHMAN) FROM AMBASSADOR ALLEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR KPAO PREL ASEC EAID SCUL KCOR NG
 
SUBJECT:  MIST SPORTS CARAVAN SCORES HIGH MARKS IN NIGER 
 
REF: STATE 131554 
 
(U) 1. SUMMARY.  THE AUGUST SPORTS CARAVAN SHOWCASING THE NIGERIEN 
JUNIOR NATIONAL BASKETBALL AND SOCCER TEAMS AGAINST THE NATIONAL AND 
REGIONAL SPORTS TEAMS AROUND THE THEME, "UNE FAMILLE, UN NIGER" (ONE 
FAMILY, ONE NIGER), HAS SCORED HIGH MARKS ACROSS NIGER.  IT ALSO 
FEATURES AN ACTING COMPANY (TROUPE MOURNA) THAT IS PERFORMING SKITS 
ON THE CARAVAN THEME.  THE EVENTS HAVE RECEIVED POSITIVE, EXTENSIVE 
MEDIA COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE MONTH OF AUGUST.  EMBASSY DELEGATION'S 
TRAVEL COVERS SEVEN OF NINE SPORTS VENUES TO PROMOTE THE MESSAGES OF 
TOLERANCE, GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ANTI-CORRUPTION.  NATIONAL, REGIONAL 
AND CIVIC LEADERS HAVE PARTICULARLY EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR A 
THEME THAT PROMOTES NATIONAL UNITY.  THE ANTI-CORRUPTION MESSAGE 
APPARENTLY STRUCK A SENSITIVE NERVE AT ONE GOVERNMENT MINISTRY, AS 
REPORTEDLY A GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER MANAGER WAS INSTRUCTED TO STOP THE 
PRINTING OF A COMIC STRIP THE EMBASSY HAD PLACED IN THE NEWSPAPER. 
 
TO DATE, THE SPORTS CARAVAN HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL 
VEHICLES IN NIGER TO CARRY THE MESSAGE OF DEMOCRACY, SO MUCH SO, 
THAT LEADERS, SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, NIGERIEN 
YOUTH, ARE CALLING FOR ANOTHER CARAVAN NEXT YEAR.  MOREOVER, OTHER 
SPORTS FEDERATIONS HAVE MADE INQUIRIES AS TO HOW THEY MIGHT BE 
CONSIDERED FOR A SIMILAR ACTIVITY. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
(U) 2.  AN EMBASSY DELEGATION (AMBASSADOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER, 
REGIONAL SECURITY OFFICER AND/OR THE RELEVANT FSNS) PARTICIPATED IN 
A TOUR COVERING SEVEN OF NINE CARAVAN VENUES IN NIGER: BASKETBALL IN 
NIAMEY, ZINDER, MARADI, KONNI AND DOSSO (AUG 6-13); SOCCER IN NIAMEY 
(AUG 15) AND DIFFA (ETA AUG 26).  PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE ALSO HAS 
PROVIDED SUPPORT TO ENSURE MEDIA COVERAGE AT TWO ADDITIONAL SOCCER 
VENUES: TAHOUA AND AGADEZ (AUG 21-23). 
 
(U) 3.  MEMBERS OF THE NIGERIEN JUNIOR NATIONAL BASKETBALL AND 
SOCCER TEAMS PLAYED AGAINST THE RESPECTIVE NATIONAL TEAMS IN THE 
OPENING GAMES, THEN COMPETED AGAINST REGIONAL SQUADS IN OTHER 
LOCATIONS.  THE CARAVAN'S THEME, "UNE FAMILLE, UN NIGER" ("ONE 
FAMILY, ONE NIGER"), CONTINUED WITH LAST YEAR'S MESSAGES TO PROMOTE 
INTER-RACIAL, INTER-ETHNIC, INTER-REGIONAL AND RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE 
AND INTRODUCED TWO NEW SUBTHEMES: GOOD GOVERNANCE AND 
ANTI-CORRUPTION.  REMARKS PREPARED FOR THE SEVEN STOPS COVER THE 
SUBTHEMES.  A WELL-KNOWN ACTING COMPANY, TROUPE MOURNA, ALSO HAS 
PLAYED AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE CARAVAN BY PERFORMING, AT THE 
OPENING AND HALF-TIME OF EACH GAME, SKITS THAT HIGHLIGHT THE 
TOLERANCE THEME. 
 
(U) 4.  I CONDUCTED OUTREACH BEFORE AND DURING THE CARAVAN, AND 
PROVIDED TELEVISION AND RADIO INTERVIEWS ON THE CARAVAN THEMES. 
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE MEDIA (TELEVISION, RADIO, AND PRESS) COVERAGE WAS 
POSITIVE WITH EACH STOP OF THE CARAVAN MAKING THE DAILY EVENING 
NEWS.  NATIONAL MEDIA AND THEIR REGIONAL AFFILIATES HAVE BROADCAST 
THE CARAVAN (REMARKS, GAMES AND SKITS) WITH ONE RADIO STATION 
CARRYING THE EVENT LIVE LOCALLY AT SEVERAL STOPS.  AT THE CARAVAN 
HOST CITIES, HUNDREDS OF YOUTH (AND ADULTS) HAVE BEEN WEARING 
T-SHIRTS BEARING THE THEME "UNE FAMILLE, UN NIGER" WITH DEMAND FOR 
T-SHIRTS AND OTHER CARAVAN MATERIALS (NOTEBOOKS, PENCILS AND 
TOTEBAGS) FAR EXCEEDING SUPPLIES ALLOTTED TO EACH STOP. 
NOTE: DURING PRESS INTERVIEWS, I ALSO EXPRESSED APPRECIATION FOR THE 
MEDIA'S SUPPORT OF THE CARAVAN AND SPOKE OF THE MEDIA'S IMPORTANT 
RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM THE PUBLIC IN A PROFESSIONAL, ETHICAL 
MANNER.  END NOTE. 
 
(SBU) 5.  TO AMPLIFY THE ANTI-CORRUPTION MESSAGE, MY REMARKS 
INCLUDED POINTS FROM THE PRESIDENT'S NATIONAL STRATEGY TO 
INTERNATIONALIZE EFFORTS AGAINST KLEPTOCRACY (REFTEL).  WE ALSO 
PLACED A SERIES OF EDITORIALS AND COMIC STRIPS IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 
NEWSPAPERS.  THE NEWPAPER PLACEMENTS REPORTEDLY DID NOT SIT WELL 
WITH AT LEAST ONE MINISTRY, AS A GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER MANAGER WAS 
INSTRUCTED TO STOP PRINTING A COMIC STRIP THAT FEATURED A LOCAL LAW 
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER ACCEPTING A BRIBE TO FORGIVE A TRAFFIC 
VIOLATION. 
 
(U) 6.  OVERALL, THE CARAVAN EXCEEDED OUR EXPECTIONS, WITH 
ATTENDANCE IN THE 37,000 TO 40,000 RANGE (WITH ONE MORE STOP ON THE 
AGENDA - DIFFA).  IT HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL OUTREACH 
ACTIVITIES TO DATE, WITH CALLS ALREADY FOR ANOTHER CARAVAN NEXT 
YEAR.  MOREOVER, OTHER SPORTS FEDERATIONS (E.G., TENNIS, HANDBALL, 
VOLLEYBALL AND JUDO) WANT TO JUMP ON THE BANDWAGON AND HAVE 
EXPRESSED INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING IN A SIMILAR ACTIVITY. 
NOTE: THE ZINDER/MARADI/KONNI LEGS OF THE TRIP PROVIDED ME AN 
OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN USAID TDYER AT MEETINGS WITH FOOD SECURITY 
PARTNERS AND TO GAIN FIRST-HAND INSIGHT ON THE FOOD SECURITY 
SITUATIONS IN THOSE REGIONS (TO BE REPORTED SEPTEL).  I ALSO MET 
WITH PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS IN MARADI AND ZINDER (NEW PC DIRECTOR 
JOINED US IN MARADI), AND CONDUCTED SIDE VISITS TO THREE PCV 
PROJECTS (ONE EACH IN THE AREAS OF EDUCATION, HEALTH AND 
AGRICULTURE). ON THE 
DIFFA STOP (AUG 26), IN AN EFFORT TO GENERATE PROPOSALS FROM THAT 
REGION NEXT FISCAL YEAR, EMBASSY DELEGATION WILL CONDUCT AN 
INFORMATION SESSION FOR COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS, ON THE 
AMBASSADOR'S SELF-HELP FUND, AS WELL AS THE DEMOCRACY, GOVERNANCE 
AND HUMAN RIGHTS FUND.  END NOTE. 
 
ALLEN