Niger

Niger reported no progress in demining in 2023, and on 30 March 2024 submitted a request for further a five-year extension to its Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC) Article 5 deadline – to 31 December 2029. The extension request largely focuses on the Madama military base, in Bilma department of Agadez region (bordering Libya), where there is legacy contamination from conventional landmines. Niger said it has very limited capacity for mine action and that it is confronted with a new threat posed by the increased use of improvised anti-personnel (AP) mines and prioritised the fight against jihadist groups and the proliferation of illicit weapons. The military coup of July 2023 shifted Niger’s regional and international alliances. Because of the political and military situation, many donors have suspended their support to the national authorities, casting doubt on limited prospects for progress in mine clearance.

Niger has cleared less than 18,500m² of mined area in the last five years, with clearance only occurring between July 2019 and March 2020. This puts into serious doubt its compliance with the obligation in Article 5 to clear mined areas as soon as possible. In March 2024, Niger submitted a new deadline extension request of five years to 31 December 2029, which was being considered at the Fifth Review Conference in November 2024. The extension request focuses on the Madama minefield in Agadez region and does not include survey or clearance of other contaminated areas in Tillabéry and Diffa regions, just risk education activities. Considering the current political and security situation, the lack of mine clearance progress over the past five years, and the need for US$2.37 million in international funding to meet Article 5 obligations, the prospects for clearance look bleak.

• Niger should review its provisional national strategy for mine action and develop a detailed work plan to include targets for survey and land release for both the AP mine contamination in Madama and the improvised landmines in the conflict-affected regions of Diffa and Tillabéry.
• Niger should put in place monitoring capacity and a database to support systematic collection of data and reporting on explosive ordnance incidents and casualties.
• Niger should submit detailed annual Article 7 reports that include details on the presence and clearance of improvised AP mines.
• Niger should clarify its resource mobilisation strategy and what engagement it proposes to have with international donors and international organisations.

Click here to download the "Clearing the Mines 2024" report for Niger.