The World Bank has announced its intention to resume its programmes in Niger, which were suspended 6 months ago following the coup d’état in July 2023. The announcement was made on Thursday 15 February 2024 during a meeting between a delegation from the institution and members of the government, led by the Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Ali Mahamane Lamine Zeine.
The announcement was made on 15 February 2024 by the World Bank’s Director of Operations for the Sahel countries, Clara De Sousa. The World Bank is to resume its cooperation with Niger, which had been suspended since the coup d’état on 26 July 2023 against the regime of Mohamed Bazoum. This comes at a time when Niger’s economy is seeking to recover from the asymmetric shocks affecting its growth. These include the Covid-19 pandemic, insecurity in the Sahel region and ECOWAS sanctions. This decision was welcomed by the authorities in Niamey, who did not fail to recall the surprise with which they received the news of the termination of cooperation in 2023.
“I don’t think I’ve come across any measures of this type in the texts of this agreement that would support a border closure or even sanctions on essential products such as medicines, foodstuffs and energy, and that came as a shock to us.”
Mahaman Lamine Zeine, Prime Minister – Niger
Before the effective resumption of financing in this West African country, 40% of whose economy is based on agriculture threatened by climate change, the World Bank wishes to assess the country’s eligibility criteria for financing in order to remove the obstacles to the resumption of its activities.
“As you know, the OP7 30 assessment is a process of formal verification on the ground that certain clear criteria have been met, both for the resumption of disbursements for the financing of ongoing programmes and for the commitment of new financing.”
Clara de Sousa, Director of the WB’s operations in the Sahel countries – Mozambique
The World Bank remains a privileged partner of Niger, which is currently considering the creation of a common currency with the other countries of the Alliance of Sahel States. In 2022, the financial institution approved financing of 191.5 million dollars from the International Development Association to support Niger in improving the management of public expenditure and human resources in the health and education sectors, which are areas in which the transitional government wishes to invest.