Reintegration – 2001
2001
Reintegration of former combatants continued. In March 2001, United Nations Volunteers (UNV) began a two-year training program to promote peace in the southeastern Diffa region and the socio-economic reintegration of former anti-government rebels in the area. It was reported that the international volunteers would train and support 660 former guerrillas in agricultural micro-projects so they could be self-reliant. The participants were drawn from the 3,750 former fighters registered by Niger’s Commission on Peace Restoration. The US $695,661 program came from the UNV’s Special Voluntary Fund.1
In a separate report, it was reported that the France provided US $130,000 to Niger as part of its ongoing support for the reintegration into civilian life of former fighters who participated in an armed rebellion in the southeastern region of Diffa between 1994 and 1998. The program, which started in 1998, now includes some 660 demobilized fighters.2