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RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0598
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NIAMEY 001222 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR DS/IP/AF AND AF/W DENNISON, PARIS FOR AF WATCHER 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON SOCI ASEC CASC EAID NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: AMBASSADOR'S TRIP REPORT 
 
REF: A) Niamey 1181 (NOTAL) B) Niamey 1217 (NOTAL) 
 
NIAMEY 00001222  001.2 OF 003 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary.  Over a 16-day period, an Embassy delegation 
supported a successful basketball caravan and tolerance campaign 
that covered eight cities in seven of Niger's eight regions.  The 
insecurity in the Agadez region (northern Niger) made it impossible 
to include a caravan stop there; however, speeches, skits and a 
display of good sportsmanship drummed in the message of tolerance in 
the eight localities visited (Ref A).  In the course of the 
multi-region travel, the delegation concurrently checked on Special 
Self-Help Fund (SSH) and Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF) 
projects.  While Nigeriens in all regions remain concerned about the 
insecurity in northern Niger, life in the seven regions we visited 
continues to move forward with ongoing road improvements (in several 
regions), building construction for the National Day festivities (in 
Tahoua), as well as field work in anticipation of a good harvest at 
the end of the rainy season.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Allen and delegation (Regional Security Officer, 
FSN Public Affairs Assistant, FSN Development Assistant, the 
Department of Defense Military Information Support Team (MIST), 
Management Section staff, a Marine Security Guard, Troupe Artistique 
Mourna (a performance company), the Government of Niger Junior 
National girls and boys basketball teams and national press corps 
representatives) visited seven of eight regions of Niger during the 
period Aug 24 - Sept 9.  Local officials and the thousands of 
citizens at each stop enthusiastically received what they called a 
"timely" campaign, in light of the insecurity in northern Niger, and 
called for more youth activities that include the regions outside of 
the capital (Niamey). 
 
¶3. (U) Ambassador and delegation took advantage of the basketball 
caravan to meet with non-governmental organization (NGO) partners, 
Peace Corps volunteers (PCV) and local officials, as wells as to 
visit SSH projects and participate in out-briefs on DHRF activities. 
 Public and private media (print, radio, TV) interviewed the 
Ambassador and local officials at every stop.  The broad media 
coverage of the caravan, SSH and DHRF activities expanded the 
caravan's reach, amplifying the tolerance message for tens of 
thousands in each region and showcasing USG support at the 
grassroots level. 
 
¶4. (U) Maneuvering through several detours, as a result of flooding 
that washed out a couple of bridges ad large stretches of pavement 
for a few main roas, the delegation traveled from Niamey to Diffa, 
Zinder, Maradi, Konni, Tahoua, Dosso and Tillaberi. 
 
¶5. (SBU) In Diffa, Governor Oumarou Yacouba, reterated a request 
from several months ago that hs region host Peace Corps volunteers. 
 Ambassador responded that the Governor's request is still being 
studied, that factors influencing the decision range from road 
conditions (the length of time it takes to reach the nearest PC 
Office in neighboring Zinder), to the proximity of a health facility 
to overall security in the region.  Ambassador noted the 
improvements to the road from Zinder to Diffa compared to the 
conditions some months ago, with recent grading of what had been an 
extremely bad patch of road.  The improvements reduced the travel 
time from Zinder to Diffa by two hours, resulting in a three-hour 
trip.  Moreover, four American medical personnel (doctors and 
nurses) are now located at the local hospital in the town of Maine 
Soroa (in Diffa), two of them former PCVs who served in that region 
in the late 1960s.  Government of Niger (GON) President Tandja is 
building three homes for the American medical personnel, with hopes 
to transform the local hospital into a regional facility that will 
serve residents in Niger, as well as neighboring Chad and Nigeria. 
(Note: Maine Soroa is Tandja's home region and he has asked the 
American doctors to invite two more medical personnel to the region. 
 End note).  Groundbreaking for additional hospital buildings (to 
include a new maternity ward) already has begun.  The American 
medical personnel reported they already are seeing patients from 
Nigeria and Chad, as word gets out that there are American doctors 
at the Maine Soroa hospital.  As for security, Ambassador pointed 
out to the Governor that during her last visit to Diffa, there had 
been no mention of tensions between the nomadic Mohamid Arabs and 
the indigenous population.  Consequently, the initial order issued, 
only a couple months after her visit (though later rescinded), to 
expel the Mohamids was surprising and generated numerous questions 
as to whether it would be safe to assign PCVs in the region. 
Ambassador asked the Governor what ever became of the Commission 
that was to study the conflict and issue recommendations.  Governor 
Yacouba replied that he had not yet received a report from the 
Commission and didn't anticipate receiving one, but insisted that 
the tensions have been resolved locally through community meetings. 
 
NIAMEY 00001222  002.2 OF 003 
 
 
He added that good rains this year have been helpful, as the 
conflict primarily had been over water resources.  The last portion 
of the Diffa stop included a visit to the Canton Traditional Chief, 
followed by a meeting with a women's group, beneficiaries of DHRF 
support that was used to conduct a sensitization campaign to promote 
women's engagement in politics and good governance.  The women 
expressed appreciation for the Embassy's support and asked that more 
be done to support the efforts of women in the rural areas.  A 
couple of women stated intentions to run for office in the next 
local elections. 
 
¶6. (U) In Zinder, calls were made on the Secretary General (SG) 
Ibrahim Agoumo (in the absence of Governor Yandaka who was in 
Niamey), Sultan of Zinder El Hadj Mahamane Moustapha and the 
religious leaders of the Niger Islamic Association (AIN).  The AIN 
leaders expressed gratitude for the DHRF support that allowed them 
to print booklets in the local languages to sensitize youth in the 
koranic schools about HIV/AIDS and other issues affecting youth. 
They underscored the difficulty for youth leaving the koranic 
schools to find employment due to their lack of practical skills and 
inquired whether funding could be made available to arrange 
vocational training in their schools, in skills such as auto 
mechanics, plumbing, electrical and sewing.  We responded that we 
had provided support to the Maradi Youth Center (MYC) which had 
successfully implemented a vocational training program.  The FSN 
Development Assistant provided AIN contact information for the MYC 
managers, suggesting that AIN may be able to obtain guidance on 
developing a similar program.  The SG inquired why the U.S. doesn't 
have an American Cultural Center (ACC) in Zinder, noting that France 
has a French Cultural Center there.  The Ambassador responded that 
resource constraints affect the Embassy's ability to open ACCs, but 
highlighted our efforts to open American Corners (AC) in more 
regions, similar to the American Corner already established in 
Zinder. She said not all regions of Niger benefited from an AC. The 
delegation then proceeded to the AC in Zinder, where we were met by 
two PCVs who managed the reorganization of the AC.  It is now a much 
more user-friendly center with better space usage. 
 
¶7. (U) In Maradi, there were meetings with Governor Ali Chaibou 
Maazou, the Provincial Chief and local media.  The Governor 
expressed concerns about criminal activity and other negative 
influences from northern Nigeria.  He suggested the Embassy conduct 
more activities, such as the caravan, to engage youth.  He also 
inquired about the possibility of sports trainers coming to Niger to 
help develop the skills of Nigerien athletes, to improve the 
athletes' competitiveness in regional and international events.  The 
delegation met with PCVs who expressed a need for more materials to 
assist with their education and health projects. 
 
¶8. (U) In Konni, the American NGO, CARE, provided a slide 
presentation of its food security efforts, such as the construction 
and stocking of a new cereal bank.  Unfortunately, the delegation's 
scheduled visit the next morning to the community that benefited 
from a new cereal bank was washed out by waist-high water; an area 
reportedly dry most of the year.  We determined efforts to cross the 
usually dry river bed would be impossible, even with 4X4 vehicles. 
(Note:  A local male from the region (about 6'4") literally waded 
through the water to demonstrate the waters' depth. Konni has 
experienced significant rains this year and the main road in that 
region was the worst among all the roads we traveled, adding an 
additional two hours to the usual four-hour trip from Niamey.  End 
note.) 
 
¶9. (SBU) In Tahoua, Ambassador participated in the ribbon cutting 
for a newly-constructed library in Abalak funded with SSH support. 
The Public Affairs Section donated books and DVD equipment that will 
serve twelve villages in the region.  At this stop, Ambassador asked 
local leaders (including an ex-combatant leader who had signed the 
1995 Peace Accords) whether the insecurity in Agadez was having any 
effect on the mentality of residents and security in Tahoua.  Our 
interlocuters insisted that all was well in Tahoua, that 
occasionally, the Governor and others would travel to areas 
bordering Agadez, to reassure the population in the border towns. 
The leaders stated that residents in Tahoua were generally pleased 
with the pace of developments in Tahoua, recognized the need for 
more to be done, but acknowledged it would take more patience and 
time to accomplish some tasks.  The Governor of Tahoua, Amadou Zety 
Maiga, echoed the view that all is well in Tahoua, noting his 
frequent visits to towns bordering Agadez.  Tahoua is in the mist of 
preparations for the December 18 National Day celebrations that will 
be held there, with construction of a new 32-room hotel, 
refurbishment of the artisanal village, upgrades to the hippodrome 
and other infrastructure projects in motion.  Governor Maiga 
accompanied Ambassador to two private radio stations to participate 
 
NIAMEY 00001222  003.2 OF 003 
 
 
in interviews about the tolerance campaign.  Reporters at both 
stations, noting on air that it was the Governor's first visit to 
their respective stations in his tenure, inquired why he does not 
include private radio among the press corps that accompanies him 
within the Tahoua region.  The Governor responded he had no 
knowledge of private radio interest in his activities and welcomed 
the stations' future participation in gubernatorial excursions. 
However, he warned that any reporter who misused the trips to file 
malicious or untruthful reports would be excluded from subsequent 
trips. 
 
¶10. (U) The travel to Dosso and Tillaberi, only a couple hours away 
from Niamey, were accomplished through day trips.  Local officials 
and traditional chiefs there, as was the case in other regions, all 
supported the message of tolerance through remarks of their own. 
Across the regions, communities we visited were fully engaged in the 
caravan and expressed gratitude for the timely message of tolerance. 
 There were calls at each stop for more interaction with U.S. 
institutions and American citizens. 
 
¶12. (U) While the populations in the various regions across Niger 
offered prayers for peace and tranquility in Agadez, the Embassy 
delegation observed that other aspects of life in those regions 
appear to be proceeding as normal, with primary focus on working the 
fields and aspirations to reap a good harvest.  Another caravan 
planned for November, utilizing traditional wrestling (the most 
popular sport in Niger) as a vehicle, will focus on the fight 
against corruption.  That caravan will provide Embassy personnel 
another opportunity to visit with partners in seven of the eight 
regions of Niger, evaluate the security situation in those regions 
and gauge the public mood about the insecurity in northern Niger. 
ALLEN