Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08NIAMEY1093
2008-11-14 11:27:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Niamey
Cable title:  

NIGER: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH PRESIDENT TANDJA ON

Tags:  PREL KMCA EAID SOCI SCUL NG 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO1197
RR RUEHLMC
DE RUEHNM #1093/01 3191127
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 141127Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY NIAMEY
TO RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 0502
RUEHLMC/MCC WASHDC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4682
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NIAMEY 001093 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2018
TAGS: PREL KMCA EAID SOCI SCUL NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH PRESIDENT TANDJA ON
MCA THRESHOLD PROGRAM AND FOOD SECURITY

Classified By: Ambassador Bernadette M. Allen, Reason 1.4 (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NIAMEY 001093

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2018
TAGS: PREL KMCA EAID SOCI SCUL NG
SUBJECT: NIGER: AMBASSADOR MEETS WITH PRESIDENT TANDJA ON
MCA THRESHOLD PROGRAM AND FOOD SECURITY

Classified By: Ambassador Bernadette M. Allen, Reason 1.4 (d)


1. (U) Summary. On November 11, Ambassador Allen,
accompanied by USAID Country Program Manager (CPM) Wentling
and USAID/MCC Threshold Program Manager (TPM) Schulman, met
with President Tandja, his Cabinet Director Maman and Acting
Minister of Foreign Affairs Dagra to discuss supplemental
food security funds, the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA)
score card for Niger (shared with Foreign Minister Mindaoudou
on November 4) and the girls' education component of Niger's
MCA Threshold Program. Tandja lauded the U.S. election
process and the American people for showcasing democracy at
its best and noted that U.S. President-Elect Obama conducted
an admirable campaign. He welcomed the additional food
security funding slated for Niger and expressed concerns
about one aspect of the MCA girls' education component of the
MCA Threshold Program. End summary.


2. (U) Tandja and the Ambassador discussed the U.S.
Presidential elections and the lesson learned worldwide that
candidates could hold a highly contested election without
violence. Tandja mentioned civil society activism in Niger,
but didn't raise concerns about possible negative effects on
Niger's legislative and Presidential elections slated for
November/December 2009.


3. (U) Tandja was pleased to learn about the additional US$5
million in food security funds that Niger will receive. He
spoke of needs in agriculture and animal husbandry. He
mentioned Niger's successful harvest of cowpeas and millet,
but added the glut in the onion harvest has not been helpful
to farmers. He stated Niger needs more slaughterhouses, as
the demand for meat from buyers in neighboring Nigeria
remains heavy and continues to rise.


4. (U) The Ambassador presented Tandja a copy of the FY'09
MCC score card for Niger and informed him that the results
had been discussed the prior week with the FM Mindaoudou,
including the drop in indicators such as civil liberties and
business startup.


5. (C) The rest of the meeting was an intense discussion

about the girls' education component of the MCA Threshold
program. Ambassador noted she had learned that President
Tandja wanted a modification to the implementation plan that
initially had been designed to target two regions in the
country. She emphasized, with the support of the USAID CPM
and USAID/MCC TPM, the need to quickly show an impact from
MCA schools, that it had been determined it would be easier
to track program impact if it weren't spread across too many
regions. Tandja insisted the program needs to cover all
eight regions, even if only a few schools are built in six
regions and the majority of schools target the two regions
originally planned. Raising the economic downturn and the
possibility that a dely in program implementation could put
funding for Niger's Threshold Program at risk, the Ambassador
asked whether the GON could could fund additional schools in
other regions or find another donor partner to fund schools
in other regions, using the MCA school model. Tandja
indicated it is unlikely. He cited political reasons for
wanting the implemetation plan changed, emphasizing he could
not accept building MCA schools in only two regions as the
other regions would be jealous and complain. He said he is
prepared to delay the program until we are ready to work in
all regions and acknowledged that he recognized the risk of
losing the program entirely. He said he could swallow more
easily explaining to Nigeriens that the MCA program was lost
because he wanted equitable treatment for all regions, than
having to deal with protests and complaints about favoritism
of one region over another. He said some of Niger's past
civil unrest and conflict has been initiated by groups in
regions that complain about being left out of beneficial
programs. He said it wouldn't be fair for only girls and
boys in two regions to benefit from the MCA schools, that the
MCA schools are so much better than the open air/thatched
roof schools being built by the GON. He added he had
discussed the MCA schools with Minister of Education Ousmane
(out of the country on the day of this meeting) in the early
months of designing Niger's concept plan, but that he hadn't
focused on the expansive complex design (classrooms, latrine,
canteen, housing for female teachers) of the MCA schools,
that he thought the design was for classrooms only.


6. (U) USAID/MCC TPM stated that the Embassy was trying to
work with our implementation partner to complete a
counter-proposal in the next several days. USAID CPM noted
that much of Niger's original program design was based on
lessons learned from Burkina Faso's Threshold Program.
Ambassador reiterated concerns that modification of the plan
may kill the program and emphasized our hope to continue
working with the GON on this project that is so vital to

NIAMEY 00001093 002 OF 002


improving educational opportunities for girls and boys.
(Note. Results of this meeting were emailed to Embassy Accra
USAID/WA on November 11. End note.)
ALLEN