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TAGS: PGOV KDEM NG JA CH IT EAGR EAID KCRM EAIR SOCI
SUBJECT: NIGER: POL/ECON UPDATE FOR FEBRUARY 2010 
 
¶1. The following is an Embassy Niger compilation of political and 
economic highlights for February 2010 not otherwise covered in 
mission reporting.  This report covers the following issues: 
 
 
 
-- Opposition Members Take to the Streets; 
 
-- Japanese Donates Food Aid to Niger; 
 
-- Chinese Pre-fabricated Classroom Flap; 
 
-- Tourism Resumes in the North; 
 
-- Italian Interior Minister Visits Niger; 
 
-- Air Arik Ends Operations in Niger; and 
 
-- ANDDH Releases Report - "The Confiscated Democracy." 
 
 
 
 
 
Opposition Members Take to the Streets 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
¶1. (SBU) On February 14, the Coordination of Forces for Democracy 
and the Republic (CFDR) organized a rally in Niamey demanding that 
President Tandja step down from office.  Opposition members 
lambasted President Tandja, stating "We hold Tandja responsible for 
the stalemate in negotiations initiated by ECOWAS and we believe 
his attitude is dangerous for our country."  Although police 
estimate that over 5,000 people protested, the rally proceeded 
peacefully, without violence or arrests. 
 
 
 
Japan Donates Food Aid to Niger 
 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) On February 5, Abidjan-based Japanese Ambassador Okamura 
Yoshifumi met with Niger's Minister of Commerce and Industry, 
Halidou Badje, to welcome officially the delivery of food 
assistance from the Government of Japan.  The representatives 
visited two warehouses supervised by the National Foodstuffs Office 
(OPVN) to announce that the Government of Japan donated 11,607 tons 
of rice to Niger under the food security support program KR 2008. 
This provision, coming in a year of low agricultural productivity, 
will be most welcome by urban consumers. 
 
Chinese Pre-fabricated Classroom Flap 
 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (SBU) On February 8, Opposition members from the Front for the 
Defense of Democracy (FDD) a coalition of opposition parties, NGOs, 
and labor unions, accused the Government of Niger of fraudulent 
transactions regarding an 11 million Euro deal with a Chinese 
company to provide pre-fabricated classrooms for schools. 
Opposition members stated that President Tandja, whose family has 
strong business ties in China, is profiting from the deal.  FDD 
members argue that Chinese-made classrooms cost twice as much as 
the average price to build a school in Niger, and that Nigerien 
vendors and workers were denied the opportunity to sell goods and 
work to construct the classrooms.  Minister of Communications and 
Government Spokesman Moctar Kassoum dismissed all allegations of 
wrongdoing, although public interest in the matter continues. 
 
 
 
Tourism Resumes in the North 
 
---------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) In northern Niger, tourism has begun to slowly pick up 
after three years of stagnation due to Tuareg rebellion.  French 
charter airline Point Afrique has four flights scheduled to Agadez 
 
in the month of February; the first group of passengers arrived in 
Agadez early in the month.  The Air Cultural Festival, which on 
previous occasions was canceled due to lack of security, resumed to 
the delight of local vendors.  According to a French Embassy 
contact, all French travelers participating on the excursion must 
sign a travel release stating that are traveling despite the 
warning of the French government. 
 
 
 
Italian Interior Minister Visits Niger 
 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) On February 9, Italian Interior Minister Raberto Maroni 
met with President Tandja at the Presidential Palace.  According to 
local media, discussions centered on Niger-Italy cooperation in the 
fight against drug and human trafficking.  The Italian Minister 
stated that the GON and GOI will soon sign two cooperation 
agreements.  (Note:  Substantial numbers of residents of West and 
Central African countries seek passage to Europe through Niger's 
desert oasis of Agadez, and then Libya or Algeria, and finally 
Italy, each year.  End note.) 
 
 
 
Air Arik Takes Nose Dive in Niger 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Arik Niger, the subsidiary of Air Arik based in Niamey, 
folded operations less than a year after launching its first flight 
in July of 2009.  Arik Niger is no longer operating, and the 
carrier has left no trace behind of its past operations, when it 
operated domestic flights to Agadez, Maradi, Zinder, and Tahoua, as 
well as international flights to Lome, Abuja, Kano, and Lagos. 
 
 
 
ANDDH Releases Annual Report:  "The Confiscated Democracy" 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) On February 11, the Nigerien Association for the Defense 
of Human Rights (ANDDH) and the International Federation of Human 
Rights (FIDH) released a joint report criticizing Niger's August 4, 
2009 referendum and October 20, 2009 legislative elections.  The 
report, entitled "The Confiscated Democracy," lambasted President 
Tandja's various maneuvers that led to the referendum that allowed 
him to remain in power.  ANDDH and FIDH maintain that the August 
referendum was illegal. 
WHITAKER