PART ONE: PRESENTATION OF THE PHYSICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC CONTEXT PHYSICAL CONTEXT Niger is a sahelian country situated to the east of West Africa. Two-thirds of its territory has been invaded by the desert, which reduces arable land. Its arid and unstable climate has dire consequences on agro-pastoral activities. This landlocked country covers a surface area of 1,267,000 km². Niger is bounded to the North by Algeria and Libya, to the East by Chad, to the South by Nigeria and Benin, to the West by Burkina Faso and to the North-West by Mali. With regard to hydrography, Niger has a single river that bears its name: “River Niger”. However, sand silting, erosion and the water hyacinth have considerably reduced its flow. Harnessing it has also become difficult. There are a few underground waters which are quite deep under the earth. DEMOGRAPHIC CONTEXT According to the General Population and Housing Census of 2001, Niger has a population of 11,060,291 inhabitants, 83.7% of whom live in rural areas. The country has one of the highest population growth rates in the world which is 3.3%. Sixty percent of the population is made up of young persons below 18, among whom 47.5% are below 15 and 20.9% below 5. It is also 98.7% Muslim. There are 8 main ethnic groups: the Hausas (55.4%), Djerma-Sonraï (21.0%), Peulhs (8.5%), Touaregs (9.3%), Kanouris (4.7%), Arabs, Toubous, Gourmantchés and others (1.3%). This population is unevenly distributed across the geographic territory, especially at Agadez and Diffa. ADMINISTRATIVE CONTEXT Niger is a decentralized unitary state, as per Article 27 of the constitution of 9 August 1999. The country‟s administration was recently reorganized by Law No. 2001-023 of 10 August 2001 setting up administrative districts and local councils which divide up the country into regions, divisions, sub-divisions and communes, this, in accordance with Article 127 of the Constitution which stipulates that : “local government is based on the principle of decentralization and devolution. Thus, regions, districts, sub-districts and communes shall be raised to local governments”. POLITICAL CONTEXT Niger is a former French colony. It gained independence on 3 August 1960. From independence to 2007, the country had 5 (five) republics and 3 (three) military regimes. From 1960 to 1974, government of the first republic (one-party regime); from 1974 to 1989, military regime led by the Supreme Military Council. The country‟s recent political history was marked by the sovereign national conference organized in July 1991, which lasted for 98 (ninety-eight) days. This conference laid the foundations of integral multi-party politics and established democratic institutions. Legislative and presidential elections were later organized in 1993. But, between 1996 and 1999, the democratization process was interrupted twice by military coups. 6