VZCZCXRO8604
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #0197 0451623
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141623Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4112
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC

UNCLAS NIAMEY 000197 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SOCI PREL PGOV EAID
SUBJECT: NIGER: WHAT'S IN A NUMBER? 
 
REF: 06 NIAMEY 1255 
 
¶1.  Summary.  Setting his sights on an improved position for 
Niger on the United Nations (UN) Human Development Index 
(HDI), Government of Niger (GON) President Mamadou Tandja 
chose a February 13 launching ceremony for the 2007-2008 HDI 
World Report as an occasion for experts to inform Nigeriens 
about the methodology used to calculate the HDI.  While the 
GON totally rejected the 2006-2007 HDI World Report placing 
Niger 177 (last) on the HDI (reftel), the President has found 
position 174 less odious.  He stated that Nigeriens need to 
know the nation's weak points, to gain a clearer 
understanding of what needs to be done for Niger to move up 
even higher.  The official theme of the ceremony was "Fight 
Against Climate Change: A Human Solidarity Imperative in a 
Divided World."  President Tandja presided over the ceremony, 
in the presence of the GON Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, 
other GON leaders, the diplomatic corps, non-governmental 
organization representatives and members of civil society, to 
officially receive the 2007-2008 HDI World Report. End 
summary. 
 
¶2. U.N. Development Program Resident Representative Khardiata 
Lo N'Diaye (also U.N. System Coordinator in Niger) delivered 
a hard copy of the world report to the President at the 
conclusion of her remarks on climate change issues, stating 
that developing countries pose the least harm to the planet, 
but will most suffer the consequences of climate change. She 
commended GON political engagement on climate change issues. 
 GON Minister of Environment and The Fight Against 
Desertification Mohamed Akotey noted in his remarks that 
Niger had signed the Kyoto Protocol and is putting in place 
programs to rehabilitate land and reforest.  Subsequently, 
Niger Carbon Sequestration Expert Adamou Souley Massaoudou 
presented a slide show on various GON activities: 
rehabilitation of deteriorated land, planting of gum arabic 
trees, community engagement in environment-friendly 
investment contracts and a carbon sequestration project 
launched in 2005. 
 
¶3. Next Director General of Statistics Abdoullahi Beidou 
presented a slide show exclusively on the HDI.  President 
Tandja expressed hope that Beidou's presentation would make 
clear to viewers of the evening news, what Nigeriens must do 
to move up several positions on the HDI.  He wanted to know 
what five countries were immediately ahead of Niger and those 
nations' respective scores on various elements, insisting 
that Nigeriens had no time to waste and needed to work harder 
to move up several more places next year.  He expressed 
gratitude to GON workers and donor partners for the 
interventions that contributed to Niger's moving up three 
places from last year.  He noted that better understanding 
the methodology behind the statistics would help the GON 
better orient its programs.  Tandja initiated a debate by 
questioning the methodology used to determine the literacy 
score.  He asked Beidou to define literacy, and questioned 
why Niger's scores were only based on French language 
literacy.  He then asked members in the audience whether they 
could speak and read with comprehension Arabic and other 
local languages.  Pleased with the response from the 
audience, he suggested that the data collectors must take 
into account other languages when gauging Niger's literacy 
level.  A member of the audience noted that the statistics 
revealed that instability in the 1990s had slowed Niger's 
development, then the same audience member inquired about the 
effect the current instability in Niger was havng on 
development.  Tandja at that moment indicated he had to 
leave, but suggested that other GON officials should stay 
behind to continue the debate. 
 
 
 
 
ALLEN