Contamination and Impact

Niger is contaminated with both antivehicle and antipersonnel mines. The extent of any explosive remnants of war (ERW) contamination is not known.

Mines

In May 2012, Niger reported to States Parties for the first time that it was contaminated by antipersonnel mines in at least one small confirmed mined area covering 2,400m².[1] The mines, which were laid by French forces during the colonial era, were contaminating an area in Madama around a border post with Libya in the Agadez region. It reiterated this information in its most recent Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report, submitted in November 2012, which referred to five other suspected hazardous areas: Zouzoudinga, Achouloulouma, Orida, Bilma, and Enneri, all in the Agadez region.[2] In its previous Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report for 2008, Niger had reported no areas in which antipersonnel mines were known or suspected. It further stated that antipersonnel mines had never been used in Niger.[3] In its previous Article 7 report, covering April 2005 to March 2006, Niger declared eight suspected areas: the plateaus of Djado, Karama, Manguéni, and Tchigai; the Afafi and Air mountain ranges; the Talak plain; and the Emi Fezzan region.[4]

Antivehicle mine contamination in particular is known to exist especially in the Agadez region in the north, where the army has been fighting a non-state armed group, the Niger Justice Movement (Mouvement des Nigériens pour la Justice, MNJ) and some splinter factions. The extent of contamination has not yet been determined.[5] An incident in February 2009 that cost the lives of six Gambians occurred on the border between Niger and Libya.[6]

Cluster munition remnants and other explosive remnants of war

The nature and extent of any ERW contamination in Niger is not known. There is no evidence of any contamination from cluster munition remnants. The Convention on Cluster Munitions entered into force for Niger on 1 August 2010.

Mine Action Program

Key institutions and operators

Mine action in Niger is under the authority of the National Commission for the Collection and Control of Illicit Weapons (Commission Nationale Pour la Collecte et le Contrôle des Armes Illicites, CNCCAI), which is primarily responsible for dealing with small arms and light weapons. The commission reports directly to the president and one of its functions is to monitor Law 2004–044 on the implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty.[7] A working group on mine action was established in 2008.

The Anti-Mine Action Plan 2009–2013 was presented at a workshop organized on the International Day of Mine Action in 2009. Under the plan, Niger is seeking to develop the CNCCAI’s capacity to coordinate mine action, set up a mine action database, conduct demining, “implement and coordinate a risk education program,” and promote international humanitarian law relating to mines and ERW, among other things. Specific demining objectives include the following:

·         procure demining equipment;

·         conduct training in mine clearance;

·         begin identifying, marking, and where possible, clearing suspected areas while the conflict is ongoing; and

·         complete clearance operations once the conflict is over.[8]

In its most recent Article 7 report, Niger called for more than US$500,000 of international funding for its demining plan.[9]

Land Release

In March 2011, Niger stated that a total of 120km of routes had been demined and marked with the financial support of UNDP; this included the destruction of one antivehicle mine and five ERW.[10] A June 2011 survey with support from Geneva Call identified one confirmed mined area and five suspect mined areas.[11]

Survey in 2011

The detail of any formal survey activities in 2010 has not been reported.

Mine clearance in 2011

No details of any antivehicle mine clearance in 2011 have been reported.

Compliance with Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty

Under Article 5 of the Mine Ban Treaty, Niger was required to destroy all antipersonnel mines in mined areas under its jurisdiction or control as soon as possible, but not later than 1 September 2009. Niger decided not to request an extension to its expired treaty deadline despite calls from ICBL to do so. It is not clear why it is unable to clear a small mined area measuring only 2,400m². Its current compliance with the treaty is highly uncertain.

Demining by non-state armed groups

It is not known if the MNJ has conducted any demining. The MNJ and two splinter groups laid down their arms in 2009 following a mediation process led by Libya, though a formal peace accord has not yet been signed. The MNJ’s political leadership attended the Second Meeting of Signatories to Geneva Call’s Deed of Commitment held in June in Geneva 2009, where it reiterated the movement’s policy of not using antipersonnel mines and its readiness to sign the Deed of Commitment.[12]