On Monday, Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič attends, on behalf of the European Commission, the opening of the roundtable of investors and development partners of Niger.
The roundtable, held in Paris on 5 and 6 December in the presence of the President of Niger, aims to bring together public and private partners and mobilise resources for the country's economic and social development plan.
On the sidelines of the roundtable, Commissioner Lenarčič will discuss with Niger's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hassoumi Massoudou, EU support for Niger, developments in the region – particularly in Burkina Faso and in Mali – and the humanitarian situation in the country.
Niger is a major partner of the EU and one of the main beneficiaries in sub-Saharan Africa of EU bilateral funds. If the conditions are met, €55 million could be disbursed in 2022 from Global Europe reserves and the European Development Fund to support the government's priorities in providing social services and protecting citizens.
Donors play a major role in Niger's development as they contribute about 11% of its public budget, with the EU being the most important partner. Since 2021, the EU has allocated more than €770 million. Future overall EU aid with Member States is expected to reach at least €2.3 billion, which could be increased over the next 2 years.
Niger is also one of the poorest countries in the world, with 3.7 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. In 2022, the EU allocated €43.6 million in humanitarian aid to support regions affected by conflicts, epidemics, widespread food shortages and high rates of undernourished children.
Details
- Publication date
- 5 December 2022
- Author
- Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)
