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FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
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INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUFGCIN/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE

C O N F I D E N T I A L NIAMEY 001101 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
STATE FOR AF/W B. BACHMAN - PLEASE PASS TO USAID AND PEACE 
CORPS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2016 
TAGS: PREL SOCI MARR EAID ASEC KPAO NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: REQUESTS FROM ALL CORNERS FOR MORE U.S. 
ENGAGEMENT 
 
REF: NIAMEY 898 
 
Classified By: Bernadette M. Allen, Ambassador; Reasons: 1.4 (a) and (d 
) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary.  Dialogue with Government of Niger (GON) 
officials (President, Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers), 
magistrates/judges, high commissioners, military 
commanders/police, both First Ladies (Pres. Tandja has two 
wives), regional leaders, parliamentarians, journalists, 
educators, women and youth, indicates that more U.S. 
engagement would be welcome in Niger in most every domain. 
Embassy contacts are taking note of the country team effort 
to visit all regions and are expressing great appreciation 
for our outreach activities, especially given the 
infrastructure challenges (i.e., deteriorating roads, lack of 
true rest stops in-between major cities and extremely modest 
accomodations) in this vast country.  Across the land, there 
have been constant refrains for a return to the "good ole 
days" when U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) 
had a mission here, as well as requests for more cultural and 
professional exchanges, American corners, expert speakers, 
youth activities, women's empowerment programs and Peace 
Corps volunteers (PCVs).  As it relates to military programs, 
Embassy team continues to raise the matter of Article 98 with 
relevant GON officials, though the GON civilians have not 
budged on that issue.  On the law enforcement side, local 
police seek more training opportunities, particularly for 
urban centers (such as Maradi, Zinder and Niamey) that face 
increasing crime and smuggling of people and contraband 
(e.g., drugs, arms).  The GON and grassroots organizations 
seek U.S. expertise and collaboration on programs to 
strengthen democratic institutions, reduce poverty, improve 
health/nutrition and engage with youth and women. Resources 
that provide the Embassy opportunities to partner and engage 
at the grassroots level are going a long way in accomplishing 
our objectives to strengthen institutions and democracy in 
this predominantly Muslim, democratic nation. End summary. 
 
¶2. (U) In the face of deficient infrastructure and the great 
distances between Niamey and the regional capitals, executing 
an ambitious travel plan these past several months has 
allowed the Embassy team to feel the pulse of the Nigerien 
population. We have conducted extensive travel in the eight 
regions of Niger, even during the dry, dusty, hot month of 
May (with temperatures ranging from 120 to 140 degrees 
Fahrenheit).  We have engaged in a range of cultural, 
educational, military-related, decentralization, 
re-integration, food security, health, women's and youth 
activities.  Nigerien leaders and average citizens have 
expressed appreciation for our efforts and seek more U.S. 
know-how in their endeavors, far more than we can possibly 
deliver given our resources.  What appears to really resonate 
well across the country are projects that address the average 
citizen's fundamental needs: food security, health services, 
education and income-generation. 
 
¶3. (C) In the area of anti-terrorism and anti-crime, military 
and police contacts in regions that are not the primary focal 
point of the Trans Sahel Counter Terrorism Partnership 
(TSCTP) have suggested that more attention needs to be 
focused to their regions.  For example, officials in Diffa 
(some 1100 miles from Niamey and located in the easternmost 
region of the country bordering western Chad) have stressed 
that it is even more important for youth in regions far from 
the nation's capital to be exposed to American (or western) 
cultural activities to counter potential extremist influences 
emanating from northern Nigeria and western Chad.  The Zone 
Commander that covers both Diffa and a portion of Agadez 
(most notably Bilma) is concerned about increased banditry 
and smuggling (cigarettes, arms, drugs), as well as 
increasing Chadian rebel activity along the Niger-Chad 
border.  (Note: Bilma is the town that was devastated by 
floods in early September.  The GON has announced it plans to 
rebuild after the rainy season ceases and GON officials, 
notably President Tandja and Prime Minister Amadoou, have 
indicated they may appeal for outside assistance to rebuild. 
End note.)  Further, in a meeting chaired by the Governor of 
Diffa, the Zone Commander responsible for Diffa/northeastern 
Agadez, especially noted interest in hosting a military 
exercise in his region of responsibility and more training 
for officers under his command.  While there appears to be 
regional government support in Diffa and other regions for 
such an exercises, the next step is securing the blessing of 
the GON leadership in the capital, Niamey. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Infrastructure projects, humanitarian activities and 
youth-targeted programs funded through TSTCP, such as health 
clinics, rural radio stations and sports programs are huge 
hits.  For example, while in Tahoua, the military, community 
leaders and women lauded the construction of a USG-funded 
maternity clinic, the first in the region.  It serves both 
military wives and women in the local community at large. 
Classroom construction at a local school (also in Tahoua) is 
another success story and, as a result, enrollment has 
surpassed the new classroom capacity and the local community 
has erected thatched, open air structures (equivalent to the 
use of trailers at U.S. schools) to deal with overflow.  The 
MEDCAP exercise remains the talk of the town in Tahoua, so 
much so, that local community leaders have inquired about the 
possibility of a return MEDCAP exercise, and leaders in other 
regions, have expressed interest in a similar MEDCAP exercise 
in their jurisdictions.  In most every locale, there is great 
demand for more rural radio equipment and upgrades for radio 
stations (many operating with outdated reel-to-reel tapes 
from the 60's era that is increasingly difficult, if not 
impossible, to repair).  These stations serve as the primary 
medium to inform and educate the population at large. 
Following the successful Military Information Support Team 
(MIST) sports caravan (reftel), we are being inundated with 
requests for more youth sports activities, for both genders. 
As a result of the Embassy team's outreach, more proposals 
that fall within the parameters of the Ambassador's Special 
Self-Help Fund (SSH) (i.e., women's agricultural gardens, 
cereal banks, libraries) and the Democracy and Human Rights 
Fund (i.e., decentralization-related workshops, 
re-integration programs) are flowing in at greater numbers. 
These projects are a lifeline to the communities.  For 
example, in the town of Abalak in Agadez, community leaders 
noted the SSH-funded library is the first in the region and 
also will serve as a resource for schools in 12 neighboring 
villages. 
 
¶5. (C) The military and police seek more training to enable 
their respective services to protect Niger's borders from the 
influx of criminal and extremist activity.  In addition to 
concerns about ex-combatant Nigerien Tuaregs in the region of 
Agadez who may be influenced by rebel activity in eastern 
Mali, there is growing concern about Nigerien Toubou 
ex-rebels that may be influenced by Toubou rebel activity in 
western Chad.  GON civilian leaders (in Niamey) remain 
reluctant to allow the Nigerien military to host large 
training exercises that require what the civilians deem as 
too many boots on the ground.  Military leaders, on the other 
hand, are eager to host as much training in country as the 
civilian government will allow or, preferably to participate 
in U.S.-based training, especially train-the-trainer 
programs.  (Note: A draft GON budget published earlier this 
month in the Sahel, the GON official newspaper, conspicuously 
omitted funding for military services, a frustration for the 
military rank and file.  It remains to be seen whether the 
final budget to be submitted to the National Assembly for 
approval will show a line item to cover military training or 
programs.  End note.) 
 
¶6. (SBU) Police commanders, in urban jurisdictions such as 
Niamey, have suggested a need to train elite police units in 
surveillance techniques to help them identify bad elements in 
the community, including some undocumented immigrants with 
uncertain agendas.  Officials and community leaders in Zinder 
and Maradi are concerned as well about criminal and extremist 
influences emanating from northern Nigeria. 
 
¶7. (U) Regional officials in Diffa and Zinder specifically 
cited the American Corners in Agadez and Maradi as resources 
they would like to see in their respective regions to engage 
and attract the attention of youth.  More seminars and expert 
speakers are desired on a range of subjects: 
decentralization, AGOA, journalism, HIV/AIDS, etc.  Regional 
and commune officials lament that resource constraints hinder 
communities from conducting more activities to engage youth. 
 
¶8. (U) Nigeriens can't seem to get enough of the Peace Corps 
(PC) program.  There are 120  PCVs covering several regions 
of the country (Tillebery, Dosso, Konni, Zinder, Maradi), yet 
these same regions are asking for more PCVs to provide 
assistance in the areas of agriculture, health and education. 
 The Governor of Diffa inquired about hosting a few PCVs in 
his jurisdiction, to work on health issues, in schools and 
with women on vegetable gardens or other income-generating 
enterprises.  The impact of the PCVs, who for the most part 
are required to conduct fund-raising activities, due to the 
lack of a dedicated funding scheme for their projects, is not 
 
short of remarkable. 
 
¶9. (U) There remains a great deal of nostalgia for the "good 
ole days" when USAID was a prominant institution in country. 
Officials at all levels of government, NGOs, grassroots 
organizations and citizens in general frequently ask whether 
USAID will open a new mission in Niger, and with the recent 
arrival of the USAID PSC employee, a hunger for broader USAID 
engagement is growing.  The Kennedy Bridge, a USAID project 
of 36 years ago, still remains the example most frequently 
cited by Nigeriens in public speeches as symbolic of the 
strong U.S.-Nigerien friendship. 
 
¶10. (U) In short, there are many program options available to 
partner with Nigeriens and they would be enthusiatic, willing 
partners with the U.S. Government, provided we can deliver 
the goods (i.e., funding or material resources).  It is the 
Embassy's hope that the reforms envisioned by the Office of 
the Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance (F) will provide 
sufficient resources to sustain or further the 
transformational programs we are implementing with our 
partner in the global war on terrorism, the democratic, 
Muslim nation of Niger. 
 
ALLEN