NIGER: REQUESTS FROM ALL CORNERS FOR MORE U.S.

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