Independent Evaluation confirms the significant impact of the UN Peacebuilding initiative on fostering cohesion in Niger
9 June 2023
An independent evaluation report published in October 2022 has highlighted that an IOM project in Agadez, Niger, financed by the UN Secretary-General¡¯s Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), has helped contribute to a growing recognition and acceptance of coexistence, as migrants steadily integrate into the local community. Moreover, small grants provided by the project helped kickstart businesses, creating economic opportunities, particularly for women and youth. 46.7% of individuals expressed a positive perception of migrant presence compared to 27.6% at the beginning of the project. Additionally, around 65% of grant recipients reported being well-equipped to secure additional funding, due to the training and coaching they received. This not only ensured the sustainability of their livelihoods but also created new job opportunities for both the locals and migrants.
Nestled between Algeria, Libya, Mali, and Chad, the Agadez region in Niger has emerged as a critical crossroads in the Sahara Desert, serving as a key transit point for West African migrants transiting to North Africa and Europe. For years, the communities in Agadez have heavily relied on migration activity as a crucial source of income, particularly after the decline of mining and tourism industries. The movement of migrants provided economic opportunities, but it also brought forth a range of challenges that have tested the resilience of this remote region.
In an attempt to curb migrant trafficking, the Government of Niger passed a law in 2015 criminalizing several economic activities associated with migrant transportation that had been providing livelihoods for the locals. Consequently, the risks of conflicts between the locals and the migrant communities have escalated, severely impacting the communes of Agadez, Arlit, and Ingall. Within these communities, tensions and frustrations have risen, fueled by the perception that migrants receive more assistance from authorities and the international community, particularly among those who have lost their traditional income sources.
To address these challenges, prevent conflicts, reduce community tensions, and strengthen the local economy, the Government of Niger collaborated with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for the implementation of a $2.5 million initiative funded by the PBF.
To bridge the gap between the migrants and locals, the peacebuilding initiative provided opportunities for mutual dialogues and culturally enriching activities aimed at promoting peace and social cohesion. These dialogues brought together a diverse array of participants, including representatives from traditional and religious authorities, migrants, local communities, women and youth. Around 30,000 individuals, including over 14,000 women, actively engaged in these constructive dialogues, which together with sensitization training, helped in reducing conflicts among the migrants and local communities.
The establishment of community monitoring committees have been helpful in mitigating and preventing conflicts. These committees, operating across the fifteen municipalities of the Agadez region, empower the local population to closely monitor the transit conditions of migrants and alert authorities about early signs of escalating tensions. Field assistants, serving as intermediaries, attentively listen to the people and address their concerns by forwarding complaints to the committees for effective resolution.
Through regular community discussions facilitated by the committees, a culture of understanding, acceptance and tolerance towards one another is constantly nurtured.
The cultural activities brought communities together in celebration of local traditions and heritage. Festivals such as Bianou and A?r arranged by local authorities played an important role. During the Bianou festival, the Sultan of A?r, known as the guardian of Agadez¡¯s culture and traditions, joined forces with the Mayor of Agadez to extend a warm invitation to a group of migrants, urging them to participate in the festivities. This gathering provided an opportunity for all communities to intermingle, forge bonds and celebrate local traditions and heritage.
In parallel, by providing long-term employment opportunities for community members and daily jobs for migrants, the initiative helped strengthen the local economy while fostering meaningful interactions between transit migrants and the host community. The financing of small businesses that employed local residents played a key role. For instance, in the Ingall municipality, supported individual businesses, on average, generated three jobs per enterprise, while in the urban municipality of Agadez, the ratio stood at six new jobs per individual business.
Overall, the project supported 78 cooperatives, benefiting a total of 483 individuals, including 401 women. In response to community priorities, a revolving fund was created to support social cohesion and economic initiatives led by the Nigerien Association of Women Against War of Agadez. In a significant demonstration of the project¡¯s impact, the communities proactively approached the Mayor of Agadez to establish a training center for women engaged in these activities.
With the training and grants they received, the leadership of youth and women has flourished, instilling a greater sense of confidence in decision-making regarding their business development and future ambitions.
She moved to Agadez in 2019 after a perilous journey to North Africa and a few months later, she established a local soap factory. With 19 other young entrepreneurs, she received entrepreneurship training at the ¡®Centre Incubateur des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises¡¯ (CIPMEN) in Agadez. During the training, V¨¦ronique generously shared her knowledge and techniques in manufacturing household products such as vinegar. As a result, she received material and financial support worth one million CFA (approximately USD 1,629) to kickstart her soap factory project.
Approximately 56% of people reported a significant increase in their income due to the project, while 41% experienced a moderate increase.
Moreover, the project¡¯s impact extended beyond its direct activities. For example, it catalyzed the establishment of a multifunctional women's center in the rural commune of Ingall, funded by the European Union. This followed a series of training activities on promising trades for women's groups in the commune, facilitated by the project. Similarly, five young entrepreneurs who received entrepreneurship and leadership training through collaboration with the Regional Youth Council of Agadez received non-financial support for incubation, coaching and funding of up to 5 million CFA (approximately USD 8,150) each to launch their own ventures.
The peacebuilding initiative demonstrated that the implementation of community initiatives in the Agadez region has the potential to enhance community stabilization. Supporting local social infrastructure and generating new economic opportunities can help effectively address conflicts and tensions that emerge due to the decline of the migration economy.