Niger - West Africa - page 659

UNDERSTAND NIGER
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Niger Today
A series of unpleasant events have defined Niger to the outside world in recent years. In
2007 the Tuareg in the north of the country began a rebellion against Niger's government,
whom it accused of hoarding proceeds from the region's enormous mineral wealth and fail-
ing to meet conditions of previous ceasefires, in a conflict that has reignited at regular in-
tervals since the early 20th century.
A year later Niger again made headlines around the world for less-than-positive reasons
when in a landmark case an Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) court
found Niger guilty of failing to protect a young woman from the continued practice of
slavery in the country. According to anti-slavery organisations, thousands of people still
live in subjugation (see Click here ).
There have been several high-profile kidnappings of tourists and foreign workers over
the past few years by gunmen linked to al-Qaeda factions operating in the Sahel and Sahara
zone - in April and September 2010 near Arlit, and in January 2011 near Niamey. The
Islamist takeover of northern Mali in 2012 created a security vacuum and opened up a safe
haven for extremists and organised-crime groups in the Sahara desert. Tens of thousands of
refugees flooded into the country.
The country's main export, uranium, is prone to price fluctuations and the industry has
been hurt by the threat of terrorism and kidnapping. Niger began producing and refining oil
in 2011 following a US$5 billion joint-venture deal with China.
COUNTRY COVERAGE
At the time of research very few travellers were heading to Niger so we're providing historical and cultural inform-
ation rather than reviews and listings. A good source of information for on-the-ground travel in Niger is Lonely
Planet's Thorn Tree on-line travel forum www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree . Other sources of good internet-based in-
formation are www.friendsofniger.org and http://voyageforum.com/forum/niger/ .
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