Decentralization/Federalism – 1995

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The April 1995 peace agreements provided for the decentralization of the government so that the Niger Tuareg community could manage the northern areas of the country, where it constituted the majority, in a more autonomous way.

Tuareg delegates did not attend an important meeting with the commission for administrative decentralization on 4 July 1995. Official sources gave no explanation, but there were difficulties in implementing the agreement signed a few weeks earlier between the government and the former rebels.1 According to the news report, contact was resumed with all the movements which signed the peace agreement in April 1995.

On 15 August 1995, the president called a cabinet meeting to discuss a bill determining the functions of the high commissioner for administrative reform and decentralization, and the organization of his units.2

On 14 December 1995, the Special Peace Committee met and one of the issues discussed was the implementation of decentralization law.3

Cease Fire – 1997

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The ceasefire between the ORA and the Niger government was upheld in 1997. The Union of Armed Resistance Force (UARF), which was another faction of the Tuareg movement in the wake of 1994 peace agreement, started a conflict in 1997. The UARF signed a peace agreement on 28 November 1997 under the auspice of the Algerian government.4

Cease Fire – 1996

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No violations of the ceasefire reported. The Armed Resistance Organization (ORA) and the Coordination of the Armed Resistance (CRA) met for four days in Niamey on 29 May 1996 and decided to “close ranks.” In a statement signed by chairmen from both movements, both sides agreed to form a technical negotiating committee which would also conduct the forthcoming negotiations with the government on the implementation of the 2 April 1995 agreement between the Niger government and Tuareg rebels. The armed resistance urged the government to implement strictly the clauses of the peace agreement.5