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An enclave at the heart of the Sahara, Niger has a population of nearly 10 million inhabitants,
more than 50% of which are under the age of 18. The national strategy plan is centred
on adolescents and aims to improve key deficiencies such as lack of access to primary
health care, lack of potable water sources and lack of access to education and training
facilities.Due to the situation of extreme poverty experienced by a large proportion of the
population, especially in rural areas, and the strong relationship between poverty and
desertification, the Government has decided to implement its National Action Programme
through the Poverty Reduction Strategy. This endeavour will direct the coordination
between Niger and an array of development partners and international donors to simultaneously
mitigate poverty and promote economic sustainable development. 3
CHEMICALS BIODIVERSITY LAND ENERGY WATER FSSD*
PORTFOLIO
Michele Falavigna, Resident Representative
UNDP is working to support Niger in mainstreaming environmental concerns into national planning. For example, UNDP has assisted in
the establishment of National & Regional Councils for Sustainable Development, and a new forest law has been enacted and published
in over 3000 brochures, with the support of the National Environmental Management Programme. In addition, through work on the
ground in 15 separate initiatives, UNDP has implemented activities ranging from reinforcement of national capacity in the environmental
education sector, to National Action Plans for combating desertification and natural resource management.
The formation of a National Water Commission, promotion of Integrated Water Resource Management, and the development of a National
Geographic Information System database are just a few of the 14 UNDP water governance projects currently serving the Republic of Niger.
The largest is a GEF-funded trans-boundary initiative, which is working to reversing land and water degradation trends in the Niger River
basin.
UNDP is supporting Niger to enhance its understanding climate change and how to adapt to its harmful effects. The objective of the
GEF-funded National Adaptation Programme of Action is to address the needs of the country to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate
change. Part of this exercise also involved a national climate change self-assessment in 2004 that reviewed current gaps in mitigating
activities that exacerbate climate change, also funded by GEF.
Two projects are currently in progress to support sustainable land management to combat desertification and land degradation in
Niger. The Sustainable Co-management of the Natural Resources of the Aïr-Ténéré Complex, and Land Recovery and Restoration
endeavour to promote decentralised soil management and shrub restoration. Both plans are geared toward improving livelihoods in
central and rural areas. GEF and UNDP are providing funding, with additional donors including Germany (KFW), France (FFEM), UNESCO,
DANIDA, and the EU.
UNDP is supporting the protection of biodiversity in Niger through a project which developed from the GEF-funded National
Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP). The NBSAP highlighted regions requiring the greatest protection and which lacked the
capacity to implement adequate conservation. The new project was developed to targets these specific communities where poverty is
highest and the need for conservation support greatest. Local populations were then employed in managing protected areas and are
being shown the benefits of sustainable use of forested regions.
UNDP has assisted Niger in its Montreal Protocol compliance programme by focusing on the refrigeration sector. In support of the continued
success of Niger’s refrigeration management plan, UNDP has supported initiatives that include a comprehensive RMP update, a
recovery and recycling programme, and the establishment of a monitoring system. Niger also participates in a regional Methyl Bromide
(Me. Br). phase-out project, implemented by UNDP for low-volume consumers in Africa.This project provides policy-strengthening assistance
to prevent further introduction of Me. Br. use in the country.
CONTACTS
Mr. Laoualy Ada – laoualy.ada@undp.org
Ms. Aissa Ouahido
aissa.ouahido@undp.org
http://www.pnud.ne/pnudfr/prgm/environnement/index.html
PARTNERS
Some of our Partners working with UNDP and the Government
in Niger
UNEP DGIS DANIDA
FFEM DFID EU
IUCN WWF World Bank
CBLT AFDB UNESCO
Government of France
KFW
Government of Norway FFEM
Government of The Netherlands Italian Cooperation
1MDGR 2003 http://www.undg.org/documents/5349-Niger_MDG_Report_-_French.doc ; 2 UNDP Drylands Development Centre,“An integrated development programme for the drylands”.;
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http://www.pnud.ne/pnudfr/prgm/environnement/env_dap.html and http://www.cnedd.net/ ; *Frameworks and Strategies for Sustainable Development
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