| |
Canada’s Commitment
Results
Country Profile
Canada's Commitment
Canada’s relationship with Niger goes back to the early 1960s. Relations then gradually tapered off owing to political turbulence in Niger, especially coups d’état in 1996 and 1999. In February 2000 Canada announced that it would resume its cooperation program with Niger following successful democratic elections. Then, in April 2005, Niger was named as one of the 25 development partner countries in which the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) will concentrate the major part of its bilateral (country to country) assistance.
CIDA has invested nearly C$300 million in official development assistance in Niger since its cooperation with this country began.
In its development program in Niger,
CIDA favours the education sector, especially
education for girls and non-formal education.
|
The Canada–Niger cooperation program was the focus of a 2003–2007 programming statement, signed on November 20, 2002. Education is the key sector. This programming statement is in keeping with Niger’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS) and its 10-year education development plan known as the PDDE (Programme décennal pour le développement de l'éducation).
Four pillars support the PRS:
- stable macroeconomic framework;
- development of production sectors;
- guaranteed access to basic social services for the poor; and
- building human and institutional capacity.
CIDA and Niger are conducting analyses and consultations to define the priorities and resource envelope that will guide development programming in this country. Meantime, given the current program’s success, CIDA would like to continue supporting the education sector to build on the achievements of recent years.
In 2004–2005 Niger received an estimated $13 million through other CIDA programs, including the Pan-Africa Program, La Francophonie Program, Industrial Cooperation Program, voluntary sector programs, and Multilateral Programs.
 Results
The East Tchintaborak school management
committee, in the Agadez region, is helping CIDA
with a project to educate Tuareg women.
|
Successful projects have been carried out in the education sector, enabling Niger to achieve noteworthy results, especially in education for girls and in non-formal education.
For example, the Non-Formal Education Development Support Project has enabled civil society organizations to develop and take charge of several areas of non-formal education. The project is universally recognized as a success that all literacy stakeholders share. This project has trained more than 41,925 learners registered at 1,508 literacy centres. Of these learners, 66 percent are women and 22 percent are youth aged 9 to 15. The success rate in the various areas of intervention rose from 47 percent in 2001 to 60 percent in 2005.
Country Profile
Niger is one of the world’s poorest countries, ranking 176th out of 177 in the UN Human Development Index. Nearly 70 percent of Niger’s 11 million people live on less than $1 a day. Only 43 percent have access to drinking water. Scarcely 6.5 percent have electricity. Slavery still exists in secret among some ethnic groups in Niger. Despite the government’s efforts, female genital mutilation is still practiced. These facts at a glance give only a brief overview of Niger’s development.
Human Development Index (PDF, 551 KB, 112 pages)
Note: to view this PDF file you need Adobe Acrobat Reader on your system. If this file is not accessible to you, please request an alternate format by sending an e-mail to info@acdi-cida.gc.ca or by calling toll free at
1-800-230-6349.
|