VZCZCXRO2859
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHNM #0374/01 1461334
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261334Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5057
INFO RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 3511
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0846
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI
RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NIAMEY 000374 
 
DEPT FOR AF/W, AF/RSA, AND DRL/EA 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/W 
ACCRA ALSO FOR AF/WA 
PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM SOCI EIND KDEM EPET EAIR ECON ELAB
EAID, ETRD, TBIO, NG 
SUBJECT:  NIGER:  POL/ECON UPDATE FOR APRIL 2009 
 
NIAMEY 00000374  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. The following is an Embassy Niger compilation of political and 
economic highlights for April 2009 not otherwise covered in mission 
reporting.  This report covers the following issues: 
 
-- First Woman Appointed to National Assembly VP; 
-- Council of Ministers Seeks Parliamentary Reimbursements; 
-- High Commission Seeks Civic Education for Balloting; 
-- Petroleum Prices Re-set; 
-- Renewed ASECNA Strike Threat Looms; 
-- Arik Air Commences Service; 
-- Development Partners Discuss Future of Niger's North; 
-- Pres. Tandja Lays Cornerstone for Slaughterhouse;and 
-- Meningitis Update:  12,462 Cases, 501 Deaths to Date 
 
First Woman Appointed to National Assembly VP 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. On March 30, the National Assembly renewed its executive board as 
provided by its bylaws.  Major changes occurred within the National 
Movement for a Society of Development (MNSD) caucus, to reflect 
recent shuffles within the main party of the ruling coalition.  As a 
result of what appears to be a purge of supporters of former PM Hama 
Amadou's supporters, Mariama Alhassane (MNSD) was elected First Vice 
President of the National Assembly, becoming the first woman to 
assume the second highest position in Niger's parliament.  Alhassane 
replaced Issaka Hassane Djegoule (MNSD), a staunch supporter of 
former Prime Minister Hama Amadou.  Mahamaou Zada (MNSD) was elected 
President of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs Commission to 
replace Soumana Sanda (MNSD), the leader of the pro-Hama movement. 
Finally, Maman Ibrahim was elected President of the MNSD-PSDN caucus 
to replace Cisse Oumarou, another Hama supporter. 
 
Council of Ministers Seeks Parliamentary Reimbursements 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶3. Based on the June 13, 2008 Constitutional Court's ruling, the 
Council of Ministers on April 1 decided to transmit a letter to the 
National Assembly requesting deputies to reimburse "sums unduly 
received as parliamentary allowances during the period of June 
through December 2008."  By this request, each of the 113 deputies 
is expected to pay back about 7 million CFA ($14,000). Although the 
Constitutional Court decided in December 2008 that the dramatically 
increased allowances were legal, the Council of Ministers maintains 
that receiving them prior to the Court's ruling was not legal, and 
is hence demanding that they be refunded for the time period 
following their initiation but before the Court's ruling.  National 
Assembly Deputies have argued that reimbursing the GON for the 
allowances would be understood as their having violated the 
constitution, a potential factor in this year's parliamentary 
elections. 
 
High Commission Seeks Civic Education for Balloting 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
¶4. On April 20, the High Commission of Territorial Collectivities 
(HCCT), the GON's advisory body on decentralization and local 
governance, closed its first session for 2009.  The HCCT made 
several recommendations to improve Niger's decentralization process. 
 The session recommended that the GON support the Independent 
National Electoral Commission (CENI) in providing civic education on 
single ballot voting, which will be used for the first time in 
Niger's elections in 2009.  The session further requested the GON to 
support local councils in direct tax collection and better 
coordination of technical and financial partners' interventions. 
 
Petroleum Prices Re-set for April 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶5. The Minister of Commerce, Industry, and Normalization announced a 
drop in the retail price of diesel fuel from 492 CFA (USD 1.02) to 
465 CFA (USD 0.96) per liter for April.  The price of gasoline 
remains unchanged at 476 CFA (USD 0.99)/liter, but the price of 
kerosene dropped from 371 CFA (USD 0.77) to 351 CFA (USD 0.73) per 
liter.  The government-established retail prices for hydrocarbons 
are valid nationwide and are adjusted monthly. (Exchange rate used 
is 480 FCFA = 1 USD.) 
Renewed ASECNA Strike Threat Looms 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶6. On April 10-12, civil aviation and meteorology union members went 
on strike to press the GON to reduce income tax rates on their 
 
NIAMEY 00000374  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
salaries and allowances, which they claim range from 33 to 45 
percent of their gross salary, including allowances.  The strike 
blocked all air traffic to and from Niamey, except medical and 
humanitarian flights.  On April 10, the Minister of Communication 
and Government Spokesperson Mohamed Ben Omar stated that the strike 
came at a time of foreign investment interest, and that taxes must 
conform to government regulations.  He suggested that resolution may 
require legislative reforms.   The unions did not find the 
government's argument compelling, and another job action may occur. 
 
 
Arik Air Commences Service within Niger 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. On April 23, Arik Niger SA, a subsidiary of Arik Nigeria, offered 
an inaugural flight from Niamey to Zinder.  The newly-formed airline 
plans to build gradually to offer flights from Niamey to domestic 
destinations to include Agadez, Tahaoua, Maradi, and Zinder, as well 
as international flights to Cotonou, Lagos, Kano, and Abuja.  The 
airline has one Boeing 737 and two Fokker aircraft. 
 
Development Partners Hold Meeting on Niger's North 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶8. On April 28, heads of donor agencies and members of the 
diplomatic community attended a conference at the French Embassy to 
discuss political and economic conditions in Niger's north, 
including the peace talks, banditry, land mines, and the 
reintegration of former rebels.  The meeting also dealt with future 
donor cooperation and development projects in the region. 
Participants cited success in peace talks as encouraging for future 
work in the north, yet recognized the continued precarious situation 
along the Mali/Niger border, especially for Westerners.  Those 
present underscored the importance of local elections, especially in 
Agadez. 
 
Pres. Tandja Lays Cornerstone for Slaughterhouse 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶9.  On April 10, President Tandja laid the cornerstone for a new 
refrigerated slaughterhouse in Niamey's industrial zone.  Financed 
by the GON at a level of 16B F CFA ($33M), the project involves 18 
months of construction by an Australian firm.  When completed, the 
plant will be able to process 40 MT of meat annually for both 
domestic markets and export.  It will also permit the processing of 
tallow and hides.  The presentation emphasized that the facility 
will operate to meet both EU and USFDA standards. 
 
Meningitis Update:  12,462 Cases, 501 Deaths to Date 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶10. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Niger has 
suffered no fewer than 12,462 cases of meningitis, resulting in at 
least 501 deaths - a mortality of four percent, as of May 17.  The 
incidence is meningitis has dropped quickly as May progresses, 
although the malady hit Niger harder and earlier than in 2008. 
UNICEF, supported by the European Community Humanitarian Aid Office 
(ECHO), as well as other development partner efforts, has provided 
immunizations to prevent cases as well as antibiotics to treat the 
afflicted.  The Ministry of Public Health posted several notices in 
newspapers pointing out that such immunizations are available to all 
free of charge. 
 
¶11. Minimize considered. 
 
Allen