Niger, 2025

The Assembly will hear an address by His Excellency Lamine Zain Ali Mahaman, Prime Minister of the Transition Government and Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Niger. I request protocol to escort His Excellency and invite him to address the Assembly. Excellencies, Heads of State and Government, Heads of Delegation, Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great honor for me to deliver on behalf of the sovereign Nigerian people the greetings and the message of His Excellency Army General Abdurrahman Tiani, President of the Republic of Niger and Head of State. At the outset, Madam President, if I may, I'd like to extend to you our heartfelt congratulations on your election to preside over this 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Niger would like to assure you that you have our full support as you fulfill your mission. I also wish to applaud the commitment and leadership of your predecessor who steered the 79th session. Madam President, gentlemen, before getting to the heart of the matter, I would like to say that Niger supports the statement delivered on behalf of the Confederation of Sahel States from this very same rostrum by my brother and friend, His Excellency Abdullahi Maiga, Prime Minister of Mali, and this yesterday, on the 26th of September 2025. He forcefully expressed the aspirations of our alliance and our people with full respect for our sovereignty, the defense of our interests, and genuine cooperation with all countries enamored of peace and justice. Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to solemnly express the willingness of the sovereign people of Niger, through their government, our willingness to maintain friendly, cooperative relations with all governments and peoples enamored of peace and justice, and this with respect for the values and principles set forth by the United Nations Charter, as well as our sovereignty and our interests. And how can it be otherwise, when we know that throughout our history, the people of Niger and of the Sahel in general, drawing on their vast social and cultural diversity, always drew on their ancestral values to forge secular bonds and to harmoniously coexist amongst themselves and with their neighbors as well. Among the values which underpin our society, our unity and our common aspirations, there are a number which stand out, inter-ethnic mixing, kinship with humor, respect for otherness, as well as religious tolerance and solidarity, not to mention peace. Throughout our history, we've strengthened mixing between the Hausa, Zama, Pils, Tuareg, Kanuri, Gumanchi, Tubu, Arab and Buduma people. This mixing meant that we established blood ties and indestructible alliances amongst the people of Niger. Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, as you can clearly see, the Nigerian people, the people of the Sahel have a longstanding tradition of living together in diversity, solidarity, peace and cohesion. Across the vast territory of the Sahel, where the climate is often arid, our people understood very quickly that it was necessary to organize, to establish bonds, to cooperate with one another, so as to live in peace and security on this shared territory. These people understood that sticking together, expressing solidarity is not an option, a way of becoming stronger. It was a precondition for their very survival. And it is for that very reason, that we naturally support all initiatives, which support international cooperation and solidarity, so as to achieve our common objectives, that is peace, development and the well-being of all. For that same reason, we rise up against all initiatives or any actions which undercut the international community's efforts directed at achieving peace and development. Drawing on these principles, the people of Niger unreservedly condemn the Israeli genocide in Gaza. We unswervingly support the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state. Much like Niger firmly condemns the Israeli aggression against Iran and Qatar, we also rise up against the trivialization of violence in the DRC, in Sudan and in the Sahel, while the international community looks on indifferent. And in fact, some elements of the international community, some foreign powers are complicit in what's happening in the African continent. Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, actors directly getting involved in conflicts are not the only ones responsible for the insecurity and uncertainty our world faces today. Niger would also like to denounce the inaction of all those who do have the means to act to promote truth and peace. The silence of those who do have a voice, the indifference of those egoists who stand ready to destabilize entire countries or regions in their own interests, the lack of humanism on the part of those who work and underhand ways to sow death in other countries, and the foolishness of those who betray their motherland and their continent. President, ladies and gentlemen, inaction, indifference, complicit silence, as well as subversive and underhand actions to destabilize the situation, violent disinformation campaigns, information wars. This is the reality that my country and the Confederation of Sahel States, the ASS, are facing as we combat imported terrorism backed by sponsors. Niger, in particular, has been living through this since the 26th of July 2023. That is the date when the sovereign people of Niger decided to take destiny into their own hands. We must grasp the complexity of the tragedy unfurling in the Sahel, the challenges it throws up, the ins and outs. This is necessary to understand not only the game various actors are playing, but also the determination of our people and their governments to fight for victory, to tackle this challenge, regardless of the time and the sacrifice this will require. We will be defending our countries to ensure our survival. We will be defending our territory and our people. Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, the usual narrative states that the situation in the Sahel can be explained away by the fall of the Qaddafi regime in 2011 and the collapse of the Libyan state, which resulted in armed groups being unleashed in our region and large quantities of weapons flowing into that same region. Others might mention the victory of the people of Algeria, a victory over terrorism, which they achieved in the 1990s, which as a result pushed the conflict to the Sahel as terrorists found refuge in the Sahara and the Sahel. We must add to that the indisputable fact that as Western powers and armies set up shop in the Sahel countries, in Mali, in Niger, in Burkina Faso in particular, to supposedly help these countries to combat terrorism, what we actually saw is terrorist phenomena in the region expand and intensify. Furthermore, it is also held up as an indisputable truth that the true, the main leaders of these terrorist movements do not come from the Sahel. It's also necessary to underscore that they have vast logistical means, a specific modus operandi and exhibit blind, unheard of violence, which is completely foreign to our geographical and cultural space. Indeed, our countries throughout our history have known wars in the name of religion. We've seen rebellions, but we've never seen such bloody, gratuitous, indiscriminate violence on a scale that we're experiencing now. For all of the above reasons, I'm sure you'll agree that this is deliberately imported terrorism that we're facing. Madam President, this is also sponsored terrorism. And this throws up the actual, genuine issue of terrorism financing and the destination of all of the resources terrorists have been capturing for over a decade now. How can we understand the fact that terrorists have maintained the war effort over such a long period of time? We must also point out the happy coincidence which saw in Kedah, in Mali, a stronghold for terrorists liberated in the third trimester of 2020, quarter of 2023, at the same time when the French army was leaving the Niger. The government of Niger, much like those of Mali and Burkina Faso, regularly informed international public opinion of the evidence we've collected, evidence of the involvement of a number of foreign powers in the destabilization of the alliance of Sahel states and of the support they're providing to terrorists. Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, speaking from this rostrum, I'd like to condemn the self-avowed support of France to terrorism in Sahel and in particular in Niger. Indeed, since French troops were cast out from Niger in 2023, as announced, the government of France has established a subversive underhand plan to destabilize my country. It involves sending intelligence to, training, funding and equipping terrorists. Unfortunate attempts to create the conditions for inter-ethnic conflicts in Niger and in the Sahel, a disinformation and misinformation campaign to discredit my country, our institutions, our political leaders and our army. France has also maintained and fuelled ongoing political tensions between my country and some of our neighbours. On top of that, we must mention the economic and financial war, an unprecedented war, which betrays France's hateful desire to thwart any and all of our development projects by disincentivizing investment and systematically voting against my country in all international financial institutions, whether that be the African Development Bank, the World Bank, or the IMF. Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, what's happening today in our region in the Sahel and specifically in Niger is the result of a number of factors. First, unpaid colonial debts. These debts must be paid off. Our people never forgot the unheard of violence which characterised the colonial occupation. The infamous Voulet-Chanouane mission and other military expeditions which stood out because of all the death and the large scale torture which they unleashed in Tehran, in Jundu, in Duchi, in Kony, in Tessoa and in Zinda, and this in a matter of years. In Zinda, as you know, there were even executions. Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, speaking from this august rostrum, my country, Niger, entreats the world's conscience to point out this hostile force which has, since the 19th century, never laid down its arms and which continues to wage total war against my country. Here is evidence of this. In November 2021, in Tehran, young demonstrators were assassinated by the French Army. The threat of military intervention on the part of ECOWAS has been instrumentalised by France. We must call a spade a spade. The abject terrorism behind which France stands, committing vile crimes in the ASS, for instance, those committed in Fambita on the 21st of March 2025, 44 Muslims were executed in cold blood while they were at Friday prayers. This rostrum also gives me an opportunity to pay a tribute and to think about all of the civilians and the soldiers who gave their lives, shot down by the enemy. These crimes remind us of those committed by France in Niger, and this ever since 1899, crimes which remain an open wound on our collective memory. In the name of human rights, I recall the innocent victims of the Central Africa Mission. I recall cities and villages which were pillaged and set on fire. I recall the carnage in Jundu and Lugu. I recall martyr cities, Korankalgo, where the population was entirely exterminated. In Beni Nkoni, where over 7000 people were thrown into mass graves. I'm recalling pregnant women eviscerated, their fetuses left for the vultures to claim. I speak on behalf of raped women and hanged little girls. I speak on behalf of men shot dead and members of the resistance decapitated on behalf of my country, Niger. I solemnly demand that France shoulders its duty of remembrance, to shoulder its duty of remembrance and to recognise its crimes. To recognise its crimes. On this note, General Chani has established a Commission of Experts, Academics and Scientists to study these dark pages in our history and to rewrite the true history of our country to set the record straight. To speak the truth, to reclaim ownership of our history and to give back to our great nation its dignity. The pillage of our resources to the detriment of Nigerians and the environment. Following half a century of exploitation, uranium has brought our people nothing but misery, pollution, rebellion, corruption and despair. While the French prospered and bolstered their power. All of our aquifers are contaminated. It's unacceptable. Also, since the advent of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland, and the decision taken by our government to exercise its sovereignty over its resources, the French government, dismayed, has tried to drag us into endless legal proceedings before it will stop exploiting and selling our minerals. Ladies and gentlemen. I would like to be clear that rather than breaking our spirit, the struggles we've had to face has have only strengthened our determination to fight to the end, to vanquish the terrorists and their sponsors. We can already take pride in some structural achievements that we have seen. What the people of Niger have been successful in since the 26th of July 2023, with the National Council taking power, is to put our country on a new trajectory, which is a source of great hope. Success means casting away from our country the forces that were hampering our sovereignty, and were preventing our forces of defence and security from equipping themselves with the means to fulfil their missions. This is something we have to do. Success also means breaking with all of the unfair conventions, treaties and laws that were not in the interest of Niger. This is a strong sign for all of those who are accustomed to looting Niger, that now our country will defend its interests unashamedly. Success also means reaffirming our sovereignty over our natural resources, which had all too long been plundered by foreign powers. Success also means uniting our people on questions of national interest. Now all the people of Niger are united. They are focused on safeguarding our country's best interests. They've understood that the battle is a collective matter. That is why we have a new motto, Labusanino in Zama, Zanshinkasane in Hoasa, and Halaledinon in Fulfude. This means this is our business and our business alone. Success also means awakening our patriotism, which had all too long been trampled upon by individuals acting in their personal interests. Now the people of Niger are proud of their fatherland. Success also means sincere support from the people to the government. People are now fully behind our efforts to put our country on the path to development. This also means that Niger can stand on its own two feet, can stand up to and vanquish terrorism, can protect its sovereignty, can invest in the country's future, in a nutshell can live without the so-called foreign assistance, which is so often in the past been used to threaten and humiliate us. Success also means that for the first time in our country's history, decisions affecting Niger and our people are taken in Niger, by the people of Niger and in the interest of Niger and nowhere else. That is what has allowed us, in spite of the difficult circumstances that we're all aware of, to take social measures which are both robust and symbolic, which include lowering the price of petrol and gasoline, reducing the costs of some medical and surgical services, reducing school fees and making sure that basic goods are affordable. Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, as you can see, Niger is well on the way to a new model of governance. This approach was built upon in the conference that was held, the national conference held in Niamey from the 15th to the 20th of February this year, which brought together all of the forces of the nation. This led to the adoption of significant recommendations and the drafting of a reform charter for our country. In line with the charter, it also allowed us to progressively establish our institutions, such as the Reform Council, the State Court, the Audit Court, the Commission to Combat Economic, Financial and Fiscal Crimes, the National Communication Unit and the Authority for Regulation of Public Procurement. Next, in the diplomatic domain, Niger has not just enlargened its diplomatic relations with several, many countries and redefined consular positions, but has also redefined the framework of cooperation with its partners. This is now based on the absolute respect for our sovereignty, our strategic choices and the legitimate aspirations of our people. Niger is therefore not isolated, far from it. We're also committed to a vast agricultural program to ensure food self-sufficiency for our hardworking people by ensuring that we fully use the thousands of hectares of arable land through large scale irrigation. The head of state has asked for this to be a reality and now the results that we've achieved are encouraging. One year since we've implemented these measures, for the first time in our recent history, the country has not been through a lean period, the period during which generally we had to request support from the international community. Our ambition is for Niger to have food sovereignty. Inshallah, we will no longer need to ask for support to feed our people. Turning to economics, in spite of the iniquitous sanctions imposed on Niger and the economic blockade supported and financed by France, who are trying to hamper our country, we have courageously kept going with our macroeconomic reforms and this has led in particular to our taming inflation to minus 0.1% at the end of August of this year. And now we plan to see economic growth of some 7% looking in the period 2025-28. In addition, our budget deficit, which was 5.4% of GDP in 2023, will, we hope, be contained to 3% by the end of this year. And significant efforts have been made to improve our debt profile. Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, now when it comes to the issue of human rights, Niger reaffirms its commitment to the international legal instruments to which it is a party. Nevertheless, we condemn the selective approach used in implementing human rights principles by some countries whose only aim is to harm our state's image. I would also like to clearly say that Niger and all of the Confederation of Sahel states, profoundly committed to respecting human dignity and the flourishing of our people, will not take any human rights lectures from any kind of body. Given the security, diplomatic and development challenges, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have taken the historic decision to establish a strategic alliance, which is the Confederation of Sahel states. And the speakers from Burkina Faso and Mali have already mentioned this. This is a context in which we coordinate our policies and we are building our future together with our own ideas to ensure that our diplomacy, which works perfectly well, can lead to specific outcomes so that we can meet the aspirations and needs of our peoples. This forum allows us to coordinate policy and to build our future with our own ideas and our own means based on ancestral values in a forum which we hope will soon be rid of all forms of threats. In conclusion, I would like to say that Niger is, as a result of its history and geography, facing many challenges. We have to acknowledge that, such as the effects of climate change, droughts, followed by floods, which are making life for our farmers even harder. Many of our young people are still in need and we are also facing up to the fact that a lot of our wealth has previously been exploited by foreign powers, shamelessly. We also have the scourge of terrorism financed by Western powers as a result of one-sided agreements. Terrorism has been plunging our towns into sorrow and people have been deprived of their needs. However, Niger, together with the other two countries of the Confederation, are currently enjoying a renaissance and we are currently on the road to recovery through the leadership of our three heads of state and our determination to take our destiny into our own hands. The recovery in Niger is not a break with the international community. It rather just reaffirms our sovereignty, our dignity and our inalienable right to choose our partnerships for the well-being of our children. Our absolute priority, therefore, remains security. The fight against terrorism that we are engaged in, we are doing it ourselves for our region and also for the stability of the entire world because we understand that we have to be self-sufficient. We can't rely on the UN, this powerless UN, which is hampered by the veto of Western powers. The UN has to be reformed. Niger's recovery also means economic progress through the responsible use of our immense varied natural resources. We have decided that these riches must benefit our people first and foremost. We are committed also to honest governance and we invite international investors who wish to support us in this. It will be a win-win partnership. We also hold out our hand to all countries in the world who believe in a partnership based on mutual respect, justice and solidarity. This reform also means ensuring food self-sufficiency in our country. Our government is focusing on agroecology and large-scale irrigation. As I have already said, being self-sufficient remains the watchword of our head of state. Madam President, we still believe in multilateralism as the way to overcome global challenges. However, this must be reformed. It must be more inclusive and it must be fairer. Africa must have its full place as it is required in international decision-making bodies, including in the Security Council. The voice of our alliance must be heard when peace in the world is discussed. We have our role to play. We must work together to build a more resilient, a fairer, more equal world. A world in which security is not the privilege of just a few powers, but the right of all countries, be they large or small. A world in which every nation's view counts without any kind of discrimination and where the voices of the people are heard. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you on behalf of my country, Niger. On behalf of the Assembly, I wish to thank the Prime Minister of the Transition Government and Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of the Niger.