The Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States

Niger’s Minister of Communication and Government Spokesman, Mr. Mohamed Ben Omar, has commended the ACP-EU Cooperation which, he says, helps his country to advance its development aspirations.

During a recent visit to Brussels on 21 and 22 April 2008, Mr. Ben Omar met with Acting Secretary-General, Mr. Andrew Bradley, and other Senior Officers of the Secretariat at ACP House.

The Minister told journalists in Brussels that as his country continues to experience growth, the peoples’ demands are also increasing.

He acknowledged that Niger is trying its very best to address its problems with the help of its international partners.

Mr. Ben Omar also re-affirmed his country’s commitment to continue its efforts to achieve its national goals.

“We have a lot of challenges to meet by 2015,” he said.

The United Nations has earmarked 2015 as the target year for Third World countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), one of which is the eradication of poverty.

In addition to that challenge, the Niger Government is also confronted with a slew of armed robberies in the North.

Indeed, since 2007, Niger has experienced a new wave of insurgent attacks by armed bandits in the North. The Niger Movement for Justice (MNJ) has complained that the 1995 Peace Accord that ended the previous insurgency has never been fully implemented and that the region remains marginalized.

Mr. Ben Omar stressed that Niger’s Government has been doing everything in its power to comply with the Accord, including decentralization and taking bold measures for the promotion development.

He added that Niger is a democratic country with a legitimate government.

The Minister stated that it was not realistic to take up arms against the State, insofar as all the institutional mechanisms enable and guarantee the freedom to express one’s opinion.

“We cannot allow bandits to take control,” he said.

Meanwhile, H.E. Mr. Jacques Obia, Ambassador of the Republic of Congo and Dean of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors, pointed out that the problem Niger is now facing is not only a national or an African issue, but one that concerns the entire ACP Group.  

He assured Minister Ben Omar of the ACP Group’s support for, and solidarity with, Niger’s efforts to defend its territorial integrity and peace within its population.
 
Ambassador Obia also thanked the Minister from Niger for taking the time to visit ACP House, the headquarters of the ACP Group.