Submitted by:

Honourables:

Boucari Sani Malam ChaïbouSawani KarimounNassirou HalidouArgi Dan DadiSani Ousmane

May 2017 Session

Honourable Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament,1

PARLEMENT DE LA COMMUNAUTE ECONOMIQUE DES ETATS DE L’AFRIQUE DE L’OUEST

REPUBLIQUE DU NIGERASSEMBLEE NATIONALE

Niger COUNTRY REPORT

Fellow Members of Parliament,Ladies and Gentlemen,

On behalf of the Nigerien delegation at the ECOWAS Parliament, I would like to extend my sincere greetings and my best wishes for the successful outcome of this session.

The Nigerien delegation would also like to express their satisfaction over the initiation of the process for the adoption of Supplementary Act A/SA.1/12/16 relating to the enhancement of the powers of the ECOWAS Parliament.

In this respect, the Nigerien delegation would like to commend once again the Honourable Speaker and all fellow Members of Parliament.

Honourable Speaker,Fellow Members of Parliament,

This report I have the honour to present to you is structured around the following points:

I. STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY

TEXTS

II. SOCIO-POLITICAL SITUATION

III. SECURITY SITUATION

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IV. ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL SITUATION OF NIGER :

LEVEL OF ACHEIVEMENT OF THE CONVERGENCE

CRITERIA

V. STATUS OF IMPLIMENTATION OF THE

INFRASTRUCTURAL AND TRANSPORT POLICIES

AND PROGRAMMES

VI. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

VII. STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs)

VIII. OTHER PARLEMENTARY ACTIVITIES

I. STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMMUNITY TEXTS

In terms of ratification, Niger has ratified 48 Community texts and, in the light of the commitments made, pending draft laws have been submitted by the Government to the National Assembly for adoption during this session.

II. SOCIO-POLITICAL SITUATION

a) Social Situation

It should be recalled that despite the organization of general elections, 2016 was a year of relative calm from a social standpoint.

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However, the First Quarter of 2017 was marred by civil society and students’ demonstrations.

With respect to students’ demonstrations, there has been a significant development of students’ demonstrations at the Abdou Moumouni University in Niamey. As a matter of fact, clashes between students and state security forces had erupted on Monday 10th of April 2017, which resulted in the death of a student in circumstances which have hitherto not been fully elucidated.

In response to this unfortunate situation that was strongly deplored by the Government and condemned by all socio-professional strata, three police officers were placed under arrest and the principle of constituting a Committee of Inquiry was adopted pursuant to instructions from the President of the Republic.

Furthermore, in a bid to restore peace and tranquillity within the universities and schools, the President of the Republic met with the leaders of the Niger Union of Educational Establishments (Union des Scolaires Nigériens - U.S.N).

At the end of said meeting, decisions were reached to notably ensure the release of all arrested students, the reopening of the Abdou Moumouni Dioffo University and the transfer of the Minister in charge of Higher Education and Innovation.

Healthwise, there were two (2) outbreaks of meningitis in the regions of Dosso and Niamey. The outspread of said disease was quickly controlled thanks to substantial resources deployed by the ministry in charge of health. In addition, an outbreak of hepatitis E was reported in refugee camps within the Diffa region; this form of disease which occurs infrequently is not well known to the health services of our country.

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However, thanks to the prompt reaction of the Ministry of Public Health and support of the technical partners and the “Médecins sans Frontières” organization [Doctors Without Borders], the situation is well under control.

b) Political Situation

On the political front, all institutions of the Republic prescribed by the Constitution have been effectively established. The 1st

year anniversary of the second term of the President of the Republic was celebrated on 2nd April, 2017. It should be higlighted that H.E. Issoufou Mahamadou, devoted the entire day to the inauguration of the 80 MW Goroubanda Power Plant on the outskirts of Niamey.

With respect to parliamentary activities, the National Assembly commenced its three-month session on 3rd March, 2017. During the session, as at 27th March 2017, the Bureau was renewed and henceforth composed of 16 members including three women, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, as it reflects the political configuration of the National Assembly.

Furthermore, the National Assembly received a request lodged by the Government for waiver of the immunity of a Parliamentarian, including two further requests for the indictment of two former ministers. It should be noted that the three personalities concerned are members of the majority party, which consequently attests to the President’s commitment to combat impunity even within his own camp.

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III. SECURITY SITUATION

Since the collapse of the Libyan State, Niger still continues to face several threats posed by hotbeds of insecurity at its borders; to address this situation, the President of the Republic has made security one of eight (8) axes of its Renaissance Act I and II Programme; and as such the Government is committing an average of 10% of State resources to enhance the enrolment, equipment and training of the defence and security forces, including their living conditions.

The sporadic attacks from the border with Mali notwithstanding, thanks to resources deployed by the Government and support from regional and international cooperation, Niger is coping and dealing effectively with these terrorist threats. It is noteworthy to equally highlight that Niger is also faced with threats posed by attempts from various criminal economy actors, namely: arms & drug dealers and migrants along its Saharan borders.

In the framework of “combating irregular migration", Niger has opted for a programme comprising two components: a Security component and Socio-Economic Development component.

With respect to the Security component: The Government intends to strengthen its defence and security capacities to protect migrants and combat migrant traffickers.

With respect to the Socio-Economic Development component: The Government has opted for the creation of alternative socio-economic development activities to discourage those who are tempted to engage in illegal immigration networks.

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Despite the various forms of threats mentioned above, Niger still remains a peaceful country thanks to the unwavering determination of its President.

IV. ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL SITUATION OF NIGER   : Level of Achievement of the Convergence Criteria

a) Economic Situation

Despite the particularly unfavourable international economic context marked by the decline in oil and uranium prices as well as the depreciation of the Naira vis-à-vis the FCFA, in 2016 the economic growth increased by 4,5% as against 3.5% in 2015. This progression in economic activity mainly stems from agricultural production, owing to a decline in value added growth in the mining sector.

Thanks to measures taken by the Government to maintain security stock reserves and a better supply of agricultural products in markets, this growth was achieved in a context marked by moderate price rates.

Foreign trade, however, was marked by an overall negative balance resulting from current and capital account balance deficits, albeit mitigated by the financial account surplus. With respect to the evolution of the monetary situation as of September 2016, there was a contraction in net foreign assets and an expansion of domestic credit and payroll.

b) Public Finance Situation

In terms of public finances, the Government's fiscal policy aims to strengthen efficient public expenditure as well as improved revenue collection and public debt management.

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In 2016, fiscal policy recorded poor performances in terms of budget revenues, largely as a result of losses stemming from the decline in oil and uranium prices, as well as the depreciation of the Naira.

By late September 2016, the State’s financial operations recorded, in a peculiar security management context, a significant rise in public expenditures than budget revenues.

For instance, tax revenues stood at 442.5 billion FCFA from January to September as against FCFA 505.4 billion in 2015 over the same period. While non-tax revenues and special Treasury accounts stood at 24.9 billion FCFA as at late September 2016 as against 42.6 billion FCFA in 2015, i.e. a decrease of 41.3% as a result of capital losses recorded in the mining and oil sectors.

c) Public Debt Situation

As at 30th September 2016, the outstanding domestic and external public debts stood at 1.7024 trillion as against 1.535 trillion as at the end of December 2015, i.e. an increase of 10.8%, mainly due to the steep rise in domestic debt stock by 23.2%, while outstanding external debt only increased by 6.9%.

The external debt component was estimated at 1201.2 billion FCFA, representing 70% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The structure of this outstanding debt stock reveals that the preponderance is owed to multilateral creditors amounting to 980 billion, representing 81.6% of external debt and 57.4% of the total outstanding.

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The amount actually paid to service public debts in the third quarter of 2016 totalled 35.7 billion.

d) Status of Achievement of Convergence

The status of achievement of convergence is presented as follows:

Primary Convergence Criteria

The overall budget balance/grants- to- nominal GDP ratio stood at - 6.5% in 2016 as against - 9.1% in 2015, in contrast to the Community’s normative maximum of - 3.0%. While this is an improvement, the ratio is still below the Community standard, owing to the significant rise in public expenditure than projected budget revenue and coupled with the low level of expected grants.

The average annual inflation rate stood at 1.1% as at the end of September 2016. For the year as a whole, prices are expected to moderately increase thanks to measures put in place by the Government to forestall hikes in prices of daily consumer goods. Such measures include the sale of certain products at reasonable prices, free distribution of food to vulnerable populations, and ensuring stable prices at the oil and gas pumps.

The outstanding domestic/external debt –to- GDP ratio stood at 38.2% in 2016 as against 36.2% in 2015, in contrast to the Community’s normative maximum of 70%.

Secondary Convergence Criteria

The wage bill / tax revenue ratio stood at 41.8% in 2016, in contrast to the Community normative maximum of 35%. This decrease in ratio is attributable to a sharp decline in tax

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revenues, while wage bills continue to increase based on continued recruitment in the Civil Service and increases in certain entitlements.

A mid-term evaluation indicates that, at the end of September 2016, the wages actually paid represented 45.4% of tax revenues.

However, the staff audit conducted within the Civil Service helped to save money thanks to irregularities discovered in some regions.

The tax burden ratio stood at 14.3% in 2016 as against 16.1% in 2015, in contrast to the Community’s normative minimum of 20.0%. This change in the ratio is due to the expected drop in tax revenue.

V. STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INFRASTRUCTURAL AND TRANSPORT POLICIES AND PROGRAMMES

After five (5) years of implementation of the Renaissance Programme of the President of the Republic, it must be acknowledged that great strides have been made by the Government with respect to the implementation of infrastructural programmes.

Through the Renaissance Act II Programme, the Government shall step up its investments to open up Niger through the implementation of infrastructural programmes in the following sectors:

Urban Infrastructure 10

With respect to urban infrastructure, the implementation of major infrastructural programmes is underway in Niamey and the capital towns of the respective regions. In fact, within the framework of the beautification of the city of Niamey, two interchanges have been constructed with a third interchange underway, works on the third river bridge shall soon commence, and the construction of a fifty (50 ) km highway in Niamey is expected to be completed by 2017-2018.

The capital towns of the respective regions have been significantly transformed thanks to the December 18 festivities hosted on a rotating basis in commemoration of the proclamation of the Republic.

As a matter of fact, these festivities have paved way for the construction of highways/roads, the rehabilitation of administrative buildings and the construction of social housing units in the capital towns of the respective regions.

Road and Inland Waterway Infrastructure

Within the framework of the development road and inland waterway infrastructure, the specific objectives include:

- Pursue the implementation of national and international highway links (construction of the Zinder-Nigeria Border highway, asphalting of the Arlit-Assamaka (Algeria Border) highway, and the Diffa - Chad Border road segment);

- Ensure the sustainability and maintenance of the road networks/assets;

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- Develop and construct a two thousand seven hundred (2700) km linear network of rural runways;

- rehabilitate and develop a series of roads and networks in the urban centres;

- ensure the diversification and rehabilitation of the watercourse crossings of the Niger River and some major waterways for ease of navigability.

Railway Infrastructure

Niger will strive to complete the construction of the Cotonou-Niamey railway loop.

Furthermore, Niger is committed in concert with the ECOWAS Member States involved in this programme, to secure funding sources for the implementation of the railway lines linking Niamey-Ouagadougou-Abidjan, Birni Konni (Niger) - Illela Amarawa (Nigeria), Zinder - Magaria (Nigerian border) and Maradi-Dan Issa (Niger) to Katsina-Kano (Nigeria).

Airport Infrastructure

Difficulties have been encountered in the standardization of the airports and airfields, notably in terms of safety and security among others. Given these major challenges in the air transport sector, the Government resolved to implement the following actions:

The rehabilitation and modernization of the country’s international airports;

- Reinforcement of security facilities in all the airports within the territory of the country.

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In addition, plans are underway for the construction of an airport in Dirkou and other smaller airports in some of the capital towns to further enhance the national network.

Power Infrastructure

With respect to power infrastructure, Niger has embarked on several projects within the framework of the Economic and Social Development Programme (PDES, 2017-2021) to ensure and guarantee sustainable power supply within the country, as well as to provide the Nigerians population with increased access to energy through electrification projects. In view of the actualization of these actions, the Government has set as targets during its second term, the electrification of one thousand (1000) localities, the acquisition of fifteen thousand (15,000) solar lamps for street lighting, two thousand five hundred (2500) optical lights, the installation of five hundred (500) multifunctional village platform units and the distribution of 1.5 million improved stoves subject to approval of funding by BOAD.

Similarly, Niger intends to construct a coal complex at Sakadalma in the central northern region of the country. Said complex shall comprise among others, a production plant capable of generating at least 100,000 tons of carbonized mineral coal briquettes per annum. In order to strengthen the institutional framework and improve legislation and regulation of the power sector, the Government has decided to implement the following measures:

Strengthening the institutional framework: Effective establishment of the Power Regulatory Authority (Autorité de Régulation du Secteur de l’Energie - ARSE) ;

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Improving the legislative and regulatory framework:

Promulgation of Act No. 2016-05 of 17th May 2017, relating to the electricity code and adoption of its Implementing provisions/Instruments; Enactment of a law establishing the tax regime applicable to fuel used for the power plants of the Société Nigérienne d’Electricité (NIGELEC).

The implementation of this framework will allow the State to develop a program for the physical enumeration of the Administration’s entire power delivery points spread across the national territory for ease of power cost control.

In this vein, the completed and ongoing projects listed below have been undertake:

- 80 MW Gorou Banda Thermal Plant Project inaugurated on 2nd April, 2017;

- 130 MW Kandadji Hydropower Project, for which tender calls have been launched and works are expected to be completed by 2021;

- Tchirozérine (Agadez) Coal Plant Extension Project.

Thanks to these hydro, thermal, renewable and coal power generation plants, the Government wants Niger to emerge as an energy exporting country.

VI. ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Niger is one of the countries that is most exposed to climate related hazards. These factors affect in one way or another the performance of the agricultural sector, including and food and nutritional security.

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To address these challenges, the Government had developed since late 2011, the 3N Initiative tagged “Nigeriens feed Nigeriens” to ensure food & nutritional security, and sustainable agricultural development.

As a sign of its commitment to participate actively in the global call to combat climate change, Niger ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on 25th

July 1995 and the Protocol thereof on 17th March 2004. In order to facilitate the implementation of this agreement, since 1996 Niger established an institutional framework named: National Environmental Council for Sustainable Development (Conseil National de l'Environnement pour un Développement Durable - CNEDD) along with an Executive Secretariat. One of the primary tasks of the CNEDD is to ensure the formulation of the National Environmental Plan for Sustainable Development (PNEDD) which shall govern all environmental and sustainable development policies.

In the same vein, several strategic documents have been developed, notably:

- Climate Change and Climate Variability National Strategy and Action Plan (SNPA / HVAC);

- National Action Program for Adaptation to Climate Change (NAPA);

- National Strategy and Action Plan for Global Environmental Management (SNPA / NCSA).

More recently, following the signing of the Paris Agreement on the limitation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Niger pledged to ratify the latter within the required deadline. This international commitment notwithstanding, the Government has

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set as ultimate objective the riddance of the use of wood as a source of domestic energy.

Already, firm instructions have been given for the prohibition of its use in urban centres.

Campaigns for sensitization and promotion of the use of mineral coal and gas shall be conducted in the cities and countries throughout our country.

I. STATE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDG)

After fifteen (15) years of unwavering commitment in the pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals, the results achieved by Niger remains mixed.

National performance on primary education for all, the promotion of gender equality, women empowerment and the reduction of infant mortality has remained well below expectations.

On the other hand, Niger has achieved significant results in the fight against hunger and HIV / AIDS.

Like many countries, Niger is now part of the continuation of the Sustainable Development Goals which, since 2015, have taken over the MDGs through 17 objectives.

II. OTHER PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITIES

The National Assembly of Niger, in partnership with the ECOWAS Commission, organized from the 3rd to 5th of May 2017, an Inter-parliamentary Forum on ICT for development in the ECOWAS region. The Forum's theme is: Harmonization of

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ICT policy and legal frameworks in the ECOWAS region for development. The forum was attended by representatives of eleven (11) parliaments of the ECOWAS region plus Morocco. The overall objective of the Forum, as the Chairman of the ICT network clearly pointed out, is to help raise awareness among ECOWAS parliamentarians, on the need to accelerate the transposition of Community texts on ICT in the National legal corpus.

In his welcome speech, the Speaker of the Nigerien Parliament stated that, ICT is now a part of everyday life. Their use has been imposed in all socio-economic sectors. However, he pointed out that, given the digital divide in Africa and more particularly in its western area, there are considerable delays in the appropriation of these technologies. He pointed out that there is an urgent need to put in place appropriate legislation, so that all obstacles to their development are removed. It is for all these reasons, he continued, that the Niger National Assembly has decided to support the initiative of the Nigerien parliamentary network on ICT, to organize this forum. In conclusion, the Speaker of the Nigerien Parliament expressed the wish to see the Niamey meeting lead to concrete solutions that would enable citizens of the Community to draw maximum benefit from the use of ICT, like other citizens of the world.

At the end of their work, the participants of the Niamey Forum, decided to create a community network to federate all ICT networks in the ECOWAS region. They also proposed to sustain the annual organization of an Inter-parliamentary Forum on ICT and Development issues, in Niamey.

This initiative was favourably welcomed and accepted by the Niger National Assembly.

Honorable Speaker,Honorable colleagues,

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It is agreed that, there is no development without security; but also there is no development without economic integration.

For this reason, Niger is committed to fighting insecurity in all its forms and remains firmly committed to the completion of the implementation, of the reforms initiated within ECOWAS, with a view to achieving a Community of people in a harmonized monetary space

Thank you for your attention.

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