PRESIDENT TANDJA EXTENDS STATE OF ALERT FOR AGADEZ REGION

UNCLAS NIAMEY 000373 DEPT FOR AF/W AND AF/RSA PLS PASS TO USAID FOR AFR/W ACCRA ALSO FOR SUAID/WA PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHER SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ASEC PTER SOCI KDEM PHUM NG SUBJECT: PRESIDENT TANDJA EXTENDS STATE OF ALERT FOR AGADEZ REGION AN ADDITIONAL 90 DAYS Ref: a) Niamey 00350, b) Niamey 00333, c) Niamey 00108, d) 08 Niamey 01135 ¶1. On May 22, President Mamadou Tandja signed an executive order extending the "State of Alert" on Agadez region for an additional 90 day period. This travel limitation and security measure has been in place since August 2007 (Refs C and D). ¶2. Comment: This decision comes at a time of ongoing peace talks with rebel Tuareg groups, wherein lifting of the state of alert is a principal objective of the country's northerners (Refs A and B). The state of alert will continue to restrict free movement to nearly one-half of Niger, preventing the return of tourism to the hard-hit region and impeding humanitarian access. It may also pose challenges (similar to those faced during the voter registration process) for the administration of the coming series of local (region, commune, and municipal) and national (parliamentary and presidential) elections scheduled for the second half of 2009. No hostilities have occurred in Agadez region since mid-2008. End comment. ¶3. Minimize considered. ALLEN