International development cooperation

The beginning of Danish cooperation in Niger (1974 – 1994)

Cooperation between Denmark and Niger began in 1975 following the 1973 drought. The first projects focused on improving water access in drought-affected rural areas and some secondary centres. The cooperation has developed gradually and has become more and more concentrated in the regions of Zinder and Diffa. The average volume of cooperation at the end of this period is around DKK 30-40 million.

The first projects were financed by interest-free Danish loans, later were converted into grants.

 

Danish cooperation in Niger between 1994 and 1999

The volume of Danish cooperation has gradually decreased after 1994. The reasons for this slowdown are numerous but was primarily due to the lack of sectoral strategies within the two selected sectors: water and natural resource protection. During this period Niger faced difficulties in relation to the democratization process coupled with financial problems.
Following the military coup of January 1996, Denmark froze its cooperation with Niger, which in practice resulted in further postponement of the elaboration of sectoral cooperation strategies. Nevertheless, Denmark maintained its representation in Niamey and activities through NGOs and decentralized administrative structures while maintaining a dialogue with all partners in Niger.

 

Danish cooperation in Niger between 2000 and 2015

Following the presidential and parliamentary elections at the end of 1999, Niger returned to political stability and democracy. However, in connection with the updating of the Danish cooperation strategy at the beginning of 2000, the question of the choice of Niger as a country of sectoral cooperation was raised. As a result of the subsequent political discussions in Denmark and with the Government of Niger, Denmark decided to maintain its cooperation with Niger, but no longer as a country of sectoral cooperation. The Danish cooperation continues in three main areas: water supply, natural resources and support for civil society. From 2005, the cooperation with Niger has been strengthened further totalling an annual budget of 70,000,000 DKK.
In 2014, the Danish Government decided to reorganise the diplomatic representation abroad and among the adjustments, it was decided to close the Danish cooperation office in Niamey and responsibility for the Danish development cooperation to Niger now rests with the Danish embassy in Ouagadougou.

 

Danish cooperation in Niger from 2016

Despite the closing the Danish cooperation office in Niamey, a new Country Policy Paper (March 2016) has been elaborated to cover the period 2017-2020. After some adjustments, the present Danish Country Programme for Niger covers the period 2017-2022 with a financial envelope of about 43 billion CFA Francs. The country program currently under implementation is divided into three sector programmes:

  1. The Water and Sanitation sector programme is designed to support the implementation of the Government of Niger’s strategic sector program for water, hygiene and sanitation (PROSEHA 2016-2030) with focus on rural areas and on disadvantaged areas. The budget is about 17 billion CFA francs.
  2. The Economic growth in agriculture programme promotes improved private sector led sustainable economic growth and job creation, based on agricultural value chains. The budget is about 10.5 billion CFA francs.
  3. The Democratic Governance, Stability and Management of Migration sector programme has a budget of about 16 billion CFA francs

The current framework Agreement for the Cooperation between the Republic of Niger and the Kingdom of Denmark has been signed in July 2018 and is managed by annual intergovernmental consultations. The last annual intergovernmental consultations were held in Niamey on September 13th, 2018.

Since the 1970s, Denmark has supported the water supply sector in rural areas and secondary centres, particularly in eastern Niger. Here a standpipe of an AEPS (Simplified drinking water scheme)

In rural areas, during the last 30 years, a large number of boreholes equipped with handpumps has been realized improving significantly the asses to safe drinking water.

ADDR (Photo: Isabelle Grignon)

The first support to the rural production sector was initiated in relation to the drought in 1985 with support to “off season” cultivation (culture de contre saison) in lowland and river bed areas. This activity was originaly part of the water programme and later on, was developed into a separate component in the regions of Diffa and Zinder called “Appui Danois au Développement Rural” (ADDR). ADDR aims to reduce poverty by supporting rural production and strengthening natural resource management. The approach of the component was empowerment of target groups at all levels and involvement of NGO and civil society actors.
The present programme on agriculture is linked to the 3N (les Nigériens Nourissent les Nigériens) initiative and aims to promote sustainable economic growth and job creation by the private sector through capacity building of farmers’ organizations including women’s associations and micro-projects in Zinder and Diffa.

 

Useful addresses

Royal Danish Embassy
316, Av. Pr. Joseph Ki-Zerbo
B.P. 1760 Ouagadougou 01, Burkina Faso
Tél.: +226 5032 8540, Fax.: +226 5032 8577
Mail.: ouaamb@um.dk
www.ambouagadougou.um.dk

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Asiatisk Plads 2
DK-1448 Copenhagen K, Denmark
Tel.: +45 3392 0000
Mail.: um@um.dk
www.um.dk

 

To access the Country Policy Paper (March 2016) click on the image above

The Danish support to good governance and civil society started in the second half of the 1990s with a support to the CENI (Commission Electorale Nationale Indépendante), a support to some civil society organisation, as well as the contribution to develop knowledge of human rights in the National Police and the National Guard.

Danish institutions and organisations in Niger

Several Danish institutions and organisations have development activities in Niger within the area of local development and food security, human rights, peace and stability, as well as humanitarian assistance. These activities are financed by own funding with support from development aid funds. Examples of such organisations are:

CARE Danmark (www.care.dk); Caritas Denmark (www.caritas.dk); Danish Institute for Human Rights (www.humanrights.dk); Danish Demining Group (www.danishdemininggroup.dk); Danish Red Cross (www.rodekors.dk); Genvej til Udvikling (www.gtu.dk); International Media Support (www.mediasupport.org); Oxfam IBIS (oxfamibis.dk); Pensée sans frontière (www.psfniger.org)

Below, some brief presentations of Danish institutions and organisations activities in Niger. Read more by clicking on the images.

CARE Danmark

Milk provides a good source of income, especially for woman pastoralists. CARE Danmark has worked in Niger for more than 25 years supporting among others nomadic pastoralist.

Danish Red Cross

Danish Red Cross has been present in Niger since 2017 working through the Nigerien Red Cross, providing technical assistance for the implementation of projects and to support capacity building of the Nigerien Red Cross.

Caritas Denmark

Tillaberi region, Niger: A beneficiary who initially received 4 goats is today the owner of a herd of 15 goats, which provides her a source of income that improves the resilience of the entire family. Caritas Denmark has worked in Niger for more than 20 years for improved livelihood and gender equality.

Genvej til Udvikling

Here, teaching at the Karl-G. Prasse–School in Amataltal. For two decades, the small Danish NGO Genvej til Udvikling (GtU) has collaborated with the Cooperative of Amataltal.

Danish Institute for Human Rights

Yearly meeting of the West African Platform POLI.DH “Police and Human Rights” composed of police services from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, The Danish Institute for Human Rights (DIHR) activities in Niger started in 1997 and technical and financial assistance have continuously been provided to State human rights actors.

International Media Support

The population in Niger depends largely on community radio for information. International Media Support (IMS) has supported community radios in Niger since 2014.

Pensée Sans Frontière

The NGO Pensée Sans Frontière is working to improve the future of detainees in the Maison d’Arrêt d’Agadez through education and training.

Trade relations between Denmark and Niger

Trade relations between Niger and Denmark remain relatively limited, although several Danish companies operate periodically or indirectly in Niger. One single major Danish company has a permanent representation in Niger: Maersk.

The Maersk Group is today one of Denmark’s largest companies. It’s an integrated transport & logistics company with multiple brands. The Maersk Group employs roughly 80,000 employees and has operations in more than 120 countries.

Maersk’s permanent representation in Niger:

Maersk Niger S.A.
Rue du Souvenir
BP: 12051 Niamey
0975 Niamey
Tél. +227 73 73 01 / +227 73 73 02
www.maersk.com

Maersk was founded in Svendborg in 1904 by captain Peter Mærsk Møller. Maersk’s fleet comprises today more than 600 vessels representing more than 15% of the World total TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) One of Maersk’s container cargos was built in 2009 with a length of 210 meters and a breadth of 30 meters and is named “Maersk Niamey”