Africa
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THE renaissance programme includes plans to auction off new oil licences, as untapped investment opportunities arise in extractives, while mining, infrastructure and agriculture also take centre stage.
President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger and his delegation met with 120 global investors and financiers in New York, as the country embarks on an accelerated programme of reforms to restore economic growth in that country.
The Niger Renaissance Programme aims to attract foreign direct investment by encouraging privatisation and driving economic diversification, while pursuing and implementing the global Sustainable Development Goals. The government has an ambitious $15bn growth and investment plan over the next three years.
Speaking at the Niger Economy Series ahead of the United States-Africa Business Forum in New York, President Issoufou shared his expectations from the round of meetings at the UN General Assembly as the world anticipated massive global political changes with the appointment of a new UN secretary-general, the election of a new US president and other major changes in the global order.
“My administration has worked hard to ensure that Niger is open for business” he said. “We are investing across a number of sectors and looking for strategic long-term partners. The country is northern Nigeria’s most important trading partner and we offer a haven of stability in the region. In extractives, Niger’s oil refinery is already supplying the region with uranium, petroleum and other derivatives.”
President Issoufou added: “Niger is an important global partner in providing peace and security in the region. Together with Nigeria and Algeria we are building the trans-Saharan gas pipeline to supply mainland Europe with its energy needs. New mining and investment codes make Niger an interesting market with regional reach, while agriculture and animal husbandry remain the backbone of our 3N initiative, ‘Nigeriens Nourish Nigeriens’.”
The Nigerien Economy Series took place on September 20, on the fringes of the UN General Assembly. Niger is set to host the African Union Summit in 2019.
— Sep 21, 2016 @ 17:40 GMT
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