Belgium injects 50 million euros into its five-year cooperation program with Niger – Agence Afrique
The Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium in Niger, Roos Willems and the Nigerien Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Hassoumi Massoudou, signed, on Monday March 14 in Niamey, an agreement relating to the new five-year program ( 2022-2026) of cooperation between the two countries.
Brussels has put on the table an envelope of 50 million euros, against 34 million euros for the previous program. The Belgian Ambassador to Niger, Myriam Bacquelaine announced the finalization of “this new portfolio” at the end of January, specifying that all that remained was to sign the agreement.
The head of Nigerien diplomacy, who specified this increase in the budget, specified that the agreement aims to improve the living conditions of the population in certain regions in Niger, thanks, among other things, to inclusive access to social services. quality and sustainable food security.
According to Roos Willems, the increase in the budget attributed to cooperation is one of the clear signs that prove that Brussels attaches particular interest to its collaboration with Niamey.
“Belgium is very happy to be able to continue this collaboration with a new five-year program for 2022-2026 active in the areas of livestock farming, health and this time also education, a very important area for the country. she said.
Niger and Belgium celebrated their 50 years of bilateral cooperation on May 25, 2021. This cooperation dates back to the signing, on May 10, 1971 in Brussels, of the General Convention for Technical Cooperation between the two countries.