Niger, Luxembourg Sign Cooperation Agreement during Nigerien President's Visit

Following his investiture on 2 April 2021, the President of Niger, Mohamed Bazoum, visited Luxembourg as part of his first trip outside the African continent; he was accompanied by Niger's Minister of State and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Hassoumi Massaoudou, and the Minister of Finance, Ahmat Jidoud.

Upon the arrival of President Mohamed Bazoum, Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel noted: "I would like to thank President Bazoum for having chosen the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg for one of his first trips abroad, which testifies to the deep friendship that binds our two countries and the excellent relations for more than of 30 years - relations based on a sharing of values, where human dignity, respect for human rights and democracy are central".

With Niger having been a priority partner country for Luxembourg since 1989, the working visit of the high-level Nigerien delegation was also the occasion to sign the 4th Indicative Cooperation Programme (ICP IV). The new ICP has an indicative budget envelope of €144.45 million, the highest granted so far to a partner country of Luxembourg's development cooperation programme, and will be implemented over a period of five years, i.e. from 2022 to 2026.

During the signing ceremony, Prime Minister Xavier Bettel commented: “This new Indicative Cooperation Programme is one of the concrete expressions of our solid partnership based on trust. It is a sign of recognition and strong support from Luxembourg towards Niger and its people. But above all, this support must also be a message of hope and creation of prospects, in particular for the youth, while supporting the Nigerien state to assume its sovereign functions. Because for Luxembourg, investing in cooperation means investing in the future, in security and in peace".

The interventions provided for in the 4th ICP are in line with the continuation of the work accomplished so far by Luxembourg's development cooperation programme (Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs) and the Republic of Niger, while adapting the actions to the current context and to new approaches for a more innovative, inclusive and sustainable cooperation. The new ICP aims to contribute to the development of local capacities, in particular by improving the provision of and access to quality basic social services for the most vulnerable and therefore access to water and sanitation, health care and education. A specific focus will be placed on women and young people, their socioeconomic integration, access to vocational training and credit which is essential for their empowerment. The second strategic objective of the ICP IV will aim to support the Nigerien authorities in terms of governance, more particularly in the provision, in an inclusive manner, of basic social services and the management of public expenditure.

In order to support Niger in its response to security and humanitarian challenges, ICP IV will aim to strengthen the triple nexus between humanitarian aid, development and peace. In this context, the ICP also includes a multiannual budget dedicated to humanitarian action, amounting to €24 million.

Luxembourg's Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs, Franz Fayot, commented: “I am particularly delighted with this opportunity to exchange more with Mr. Massoudou and Mr. Jidoud on the implementation of the ICP, which will be done in close collaboration with our Nigerien partners, on whom we have been able to count for more than 30 years. The interview allowed us to lay the groundwork to set out our common development objectives, which are based on Niger's Sustainable and Inclusive Development Strategy by 2035, while taking into account the general principles of the general strategy of Luxembourg cooperation".

Luxembourg's Minister of Finance, Pierre Gramegna, also had an exchange of views with his Nigerien counterpart Ahmat Jidoud on bilateral relations. The former noted that through its participation in the African Development Fund (ADF) of the African Development Bank (ADB), Luxembourg primarily supports economic development in sub-Saharan Africa, of which Niger is a part. Luxembourg has pledged a total amount of €39.6 million to the ADF since 2014. Minister Pierre Gramegna also highlighted that Luxembourg undertakes to participate in the temporary special increase of the ADB's callable capital. The ministers finally took stock of the socio-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa and the continent's vulnerability to climate change.

During this working visit, Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum also discussed bilateral relations with His Royal Highness the Grand Duke of Luxembourg.