The President of the Republic of Niger, Mahamadou Issoufou, who was on a working-cum-friendship visit to Germany since August 14, 2018, had a face-to-face meeting with the German Chancellor Dr. Angela Merkel on issues of security, development and migration.
The meeting, which took place in Schloss Meseberg, a town located 70 km from Berlin, allowed the two personalities to discuss in-depth the main national and international issues concerning Niger and Germany.
In addition to the excellent bilateral cooperation between the two countries, the talks also focused on the fight against terrorism and security in the Lake Chad Basin and in the G5 Sahel countries.
The Niger-German cooperation, it is recalled, concerns the different sectors of development with a particular emphasis in recent years on security and the fight against illegal migration.
During a press briefing, the Chancellor thanked President Issoufou Mahamadou whose “country has been very successful in the fight against illegal migration”. Niger, she said, did “excellent work”.
Dr. Angela Merkel assured Mahamadou of Germany’s support for the G5 Sahel to have an international mandate, as his country, which will be a member of the UN Security Council for 2019-20, will have a role to play in this meaning.
Germany has already been engaged in development cooperation with Niger since 1962, she said, adding that relations between the two countries have intensified and “our financial commitments have doubled in recent years.”
After addressing several other points of cooperation between the two countries, the Chancellor said that “Germany and Niger have come closer together and we must try to implement the commitments made.”
“The real answer to illegal migration is in creating jobs for young people. This implies significant investments not only in agriculture but in industry. This assumes that Africa ceases to be a mere reservoir of raw materials,” said President Mahamadou.
During this briefing, the Niger President thanked the Chancellor for “the kind invitation” she extended to him and for “the excellent hospitality and generous hospitality” of which her delegation have been the subject since their arrival in “this beautiful city of Berlin.”
The Head of State also congratulated Merkel for his re-election and for having succeeded in setting up a grand coalition after the last legislative elections.
The President of the Republic affirmed that the excellence of the relations between Niamey and Berlin is more than obvious.
In the basin of Lake Chad, said the Head of State, the fight against Boko Haram continues. The Multinational Joint Force does an excellent job. Boko Haram is weakened even though it still shows some resilience, he said.
In the Sahel, the Joint G5 Sahel Force is almost operational. It has already successfully conducted several operations in the central zone at the three borders Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, said the President of the Republic.
President Mahamadou thanked the Chancellor for the significant support given to the Joint Force in terms of training, equipment and infrastructure, support for the G5 Sahel Defence College and Police Academy and the MINUSMA.
He also thanked her for the support provided in the same areas, bilaterally, to the Nigerian defence and security forces.
As Germany will be a member of the Security Council for the period 2019-2020, President Mahamadou requested the Chancellor’s support “for the G5 Sahel Joint Force to be placed under Chapter 7 of the United Nations Charter and for it to have sustainable and predictable funding.”
“We also want Germany’s support in the fight against organized crime, including drug trafficking, which is one of the sources of financing for terrorism,” he added.
Regarding the situation in Libya, “Germany and Europe can and must play a leading role in a quick resolution of the crisis in Libya. It is in their interest, as the restoration of the state in Libya will be of great help in the fight against illegal migration that worries Europeans,” said the Head of State.
With regard to migration, President Mahamadou welcomed the Chancellor’s leadership on this issue, stressing that she has a strong awareness of the close link between migration, security and development.
“The Chancellor strongly believes in addressing the root causes of irregular migration, including poverty and insecurity,” he said.
“Indeed, the real answer to illegal migration lies in the creation of jobs for young people. This implies significant investments not only in agriculture but in industry. This assumes that Africa ceases to be a mere reservoir of raw materials, “said the President of the Republic.
The Head of State emphasized that it is in the perspective of a massive job creation for young people that the ongoing integration efforts on the continent are taking place, notably the establishment of the African ZLEC.
Referring to the Chancellor’s support for the implementation of the plan to combat illegal migration, President Issoufou Mahamadou said that “we have achieved together remarkable results in reducing the flow of irregular migrants in transit through Niger: since 2016 this flow has been reduced by 90%, from more than 100,000 migrants per year to less than 10,000.”
“I asked the Chancellor to increase support for Niger and the Sahel countries. For Niger, I insisted on the continuation of the ongoing programs, in particular, the migration challenges management program as well as the launching of new programs relating to girls’ schooling, energy and education and promotion of the private sector,” said HE Issoufou Mahamadou.
The Head of State was accompanied in this trip with Director of Cabinet of the President of the Republic, Mr. Ouhoumoudou Mahamadou and the Minister of Planning, Ms. Kane Aichatou Boulama.
