Fonds d’archives Baulin

Réponse <Diori

1°/ The Consulative Committee of the Organization of African Unity has been designated to bring about a peace settlement in this populous african country.

2°/ We hope that a great country like Great Brittain will help Africains in resolving this problem in the apirit of African Unity and international co-operation for, it is non African intervention that have complicated this unfortunate problem.

3°/ Without doubt peace could have obtained after the Niamey meeting had it not been for foreign interference.

4°/ Niger’ s economy has suffered serious setbacks as a result of the war in Nigeria.

Two thirds of our commercial transactions, both exports and imports, go through Nigeria. In addition the state of war has forced Nigeria into adopting a non convertible currency. This has presented new difficulties for Niger’ s economy, in that all of our exchanges are made in currency.

Difficulties in transportation have necessitated the use of new commerce routes through Dahomey. However, these routes were not made for heavy traffic and thus my country has had addtional difficulties.

5°/ a) A system of price supports for primary products

b) A sizeable augmentation of the fund which is designated to subsidize the poorer countries

c) Special considerations to facilitate industralization in African countries

d) The implementation of programms permitting an augmentation in the volume of trade between african countries and those of the European Economic Community.

6°/ I am a staunch supporter of Eurafrique. Also, strong ties between francophone and anglophone countries will facilitate cooperation between these two continents which are in themselves complementary.

7°/ In view of African Unity, OCAM seeks to organize states on the basis of equality, solidarity and brotherhood, in order to find solutions to problems which are common to all of us.

- OCAM has created the multinational airline AIR AFRIQUE

- The African Malagasy Postal, Telegraphic and Telecommunications Union

- The Bureau of Industriel Production

- OCAM has organizeld negociations in view of the renewal of the YAOUDE Convention

- OCAM provides a vehicle of negociation for resolving any conficts arising between Member-States or any other African nations.

8°/ OCAM is a realistic grouping in which two Member-States have recognized BIAFRA and twelve other support the Federal position. This situation should facilitate the resuming of negociations in view of putting an en to the hostilities and bringing about peace.

9°/ To strengthen the ties between Great Britain and Niger and to open the way for greater mutual understanding and cooperation between our twoo countries.

10°/ There have been two kinds of difficulties :

- The first was of an internal nature which involved organizing the people in a decided movement towards independance in agreement and friendship with the Colonial Power.

- The second was of an external nature. It involved convincing FRANCE that our independance was not secession. On the contrary, it created possibility for even stronger cooperation.

11°/ NIGER’ s particular position is that of a crossroads between North Africa and Sub- Saharan Africa. It is a country whose sedentary black population lives side by side in fraternity with a nomadic population of white origin. Thus, our entire policy - both internal and external - is based on dialogue which to us means negociating to resolve all problems. My country plays this role in the Conseil de l’ Entente, in OCAM, an in the O.A.U.

12°/ My fellow citizens will answer this question.

13°/ The difficulties that all the developping countries face, that means the selfishness of the great powers which grow richer and richer while the small ones grow poorer and poorer. And this is why we are struggling against the deterioration of trade agreements in view of

a greater share in the profits rendered by primary agricultural and mineral products.

14°/ Let us not anticipate. When the time comes, the historians will have their say.

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