A delegation of seven representatives of the interministerial working of the Vallée du Niger programme visited the NCEA office last week. The group was in the Netherlands for an exchange visit organized by the NCEA and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, RVO. During their visit to the NCEA, case studies of SEA in West-Africa were presented and lessons and observations were shared.
The NCEA has been requested by the Nigerien ministry of Environment to coach the development of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for a land use plan for Niger river basin in Niger. This programme, financed by the Dutch embassy and implemented by RVO, is currently in full swing with continuous engagement between governmental authorities, local stakeholders and international partners. Apart from developing a land use plan and SEA, the programme also includes capacity development for local communes and no regret projects to promote sustainable management of natural resources.
“We now know there are ways for artisanal miners to clean gold without using mercury… We want to introduce that here!”
The national EA-agency asked the NCEA to coach the SEA for the Niger Valley.
