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==Geskiedenis van Niger==
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<small>Hoofartikel: [[Geskiedenis van Niger]]</small>
{{hoofartikel|History of Niger}}
ConsiderableRedelike evidenceinligting indicatesdui thataan aboutdat 600,000menslike yearsinwoners ago,die humansgebied inhabitedwat whatvandag hasdie sinceamper become the desolateonbewoonbare [[Sahara]] ofvan northernnoordelike Niger geword het, ongeveer 600 000 jaar gelede bewoon het. Niger was an'n importantbelangrike economicekoniemse crossroadskruispad, anden thedie empiresryke ofvan [[Songhai]], [[Mali]], [[Gao]], [[Kanem-Bornu EmpireRyk|Kanem, and Bornu]], asasook well'n as a number ofaantal Hausa statesstate, claimedhet controlbeheer overoor portionsgedeeltes ofvan thedie area uitgeoefen.
DuringGedurende recentonlangse centurieseeue, thehet nomadicdie nomadiese [[Tuareg]] formedgroot largekonfederasies confederationsgevorm, pushedsuidwaarts southwardgestoot, anden, sidingaan withdie variouskant van verskeie [[Hausa peoplemense|Hausa]] statesstate, clashedin konflik gekom withmet thedie Fulani EmpireRyk ofvan [[Sokoto]], whichwat hadbeheer gainedvan controlgroot ofdele muchvan ofHausa thegebied Hausaverkry territoryhet in thedie latelaat [[18th18de centuryeeu]].
In thedie [[19th19de centuryeeu]], contacthet withkontak themet Westdie beganWeste whenbegin themet firstdie Europeanverkenning van die gebied deur Europese verkenners explorers—notablynoemenswaardig is veral [[Mungo Park]] (BritishEngels) anden [[Heinrich Barth]] (GermanDuits)—explored thewat area,opsoek searchingwas forna thedie sourceoorsprong ofvan thedie [[Niger RiverRivier]]. AlthoughAlhoewel [[FranceFrankryk|FrenchFranse]] effortspogings attot pacificationpasifisasie began beforevoor [[1900]] begin het, dissidentkon ethnicetniese groupssplintergroepe, especiallyveral the desertdie [[Tuareg]] woestynbewoners, werenie notonder subduedbeheer untilgebring word tot [[1922]] nie, whentoe Niger became'n Franse akolonie Frenchgeword colonyhet.
Niger's colonialse koloniale historygeskiedenis anden developmentontwikkeling parallel thatdie ofvan otherander [[FrenchFranse West AfricaWes-Afrika]]nanse territoriesgebiede. FranceFrans administeredhet itssy WestWes-Afrikaanse Africankolonies coloniesbestuur throughdeur a'n governorgoewerneur-generaal general atin [[Dakar]], [[Senegal]], anden governorsgoewerneurs in thedie individualindividuele territoriesgebiede, includinginsluitend Niger. InSaam additionmet todie conferringFranse Frenchburgerskap citizenshipwat onaan thedie inhabitantsinwoners ofvan thedie territoriesFranse gebiede gegee was, thehet die Franse grondwet ook in [[1946]] Frenchvoorsiening constitutiongemaak providedvir fordie decentralizationdesentralisasie ofvan powermag anden limitedbeperkte participationbetrokkenheid in politicaldie politieke lifelewe forvan localplaaslike advisoryraadgewende assembliessamekomste.
A'n furtherVerdere revisionhersiening in thedie organizationorganisasie ofvan overseasoorseese territoriesgebiede occurredhet withgeskied themet passagedie ofdeurvoering thevan die ''"Overseas Reform Act "''(''Loi Cadre'') ofvan [[July 23 Julie]] [[1956]], followedgevolg bydeur reorganizationalher-organisatoriese measuresstappe enactedingestel bydeur thedie FrenchFranse ParliamentParlement earlyvroeg in [[1957]]. InHierdie additionwette tohet removingongelykhede votingin die stemproses inequalitiesverwyder, theseen lawsook providedvoorsiening forgemaak creationvir ofdie governmentalskepping organsvan regeringsorgane, assuringwat individualindividuele territoriesgebiede a'n largegroter measuremate ofvan self-governmentregering verseker het. AfterNa thedie establishmenttotstandkoming ofvan thedie [[FifthVyfde FrenchFranse RepublicRepubliek]] onop [[December 4 Desember]] [[1958]], het Niger became'n anoutonome autonomousstaat statebinne withindie theFranse FrenchGemeenskap Communitygeword. FollowingGevolg deur fullvolle independenceonafhanklikheid onop [[August3 3Augustus]] [[1960]], however, membership was allowed to lapse.
For its first 14 years as an independent state, Niger was run by a single-party civilian regime under the [[List of Presidents of Niger|presidency]] of [[Hamani Diori]]. In [[1974]], a combination of devastating [[drought]] and accusations of rampant [[political corruption|corruption]] resulted in a military [[coup]] that overthrew the Diori regime. Col. [[Seyni Kountché]] and a small military group ruled the country until Kountché's death in [[1987]]. He was succeeded by his Chief of Staff, Col. [[Ali Saibou]], who released [[political prisoners]], liberalized some of Niger's laws and policies, and promulgated a new [[constitution]]. However, President Saibou's efforts to control political reforms failed in the face of union and student demands to institute a multi-party [[democracy|democratic system]]. The Saibou regime acquiesced to these demands by the end of [[1990]]. New political parties and civic associations sprang up, and a national conference was convened in [[July]] [[1991]] to prepare the way for the adoption of a new constitution and the holding of free and fair elections. The debate was often contentious and accusatory, but under the leadership of Prof. André Salifou, the conference developed consensus on the modalities of a transition government. A transition government was installed in [[November]] [[1991]] to manage the affairs of state until the institutions of the Third Republic were put into place in [[April]] [[1993]]. While the economy deteriorated over the course of the transition, certain accomplishments stand out, including the successful conduct of a constitutional referendum; the adoption of key legislation such as the electoral and rural codes; and the holding of several free, fair, and non-violent nationwide elections. Freedom of the press flourished with the appearance of several new independent newspapers.
Rivalries within a ruling coalition elected in 1993 led to governmental paralysis, which provided Col. [[Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara]] a rationale to overthrow the Third Republic in [[January]] [[1996]]. While leading a military authority that ran the government ([[Conseil de Salut National]]) during a 6-month transition period, Baré enlisted specialists to draft a new constitution for a Fourth Republic announced in [[May]] [[1996]]. Baré organized a presidential election in [[July]] [[1996]]. While voting was still going on, he replaced the electoral commission and the new commission declared him the winner. His party won 90% of parliament seats in a flawed legislative election in [[November]] [[1996]]. When his efforts to justify his coup and subsequent questionable elections failed to convince donors to restore multilateral and bilateral economic assistance, a desperate Baré ignored an international embargo against [[Libya]] and sought Libyan funds to aid Niger's economy. In repeated violations of basic civil liberties by the regime, opposition leaders were imprisoned; journalists often arrested, beaten, and deported by an unofficial militia composed of police and military; and independent media offices were looted and burned with impunity.
In the culmination of an initiative started under the 1991 national conference, however, the government signed peace accords in [[April]] [[1995]] with all [[Tuareg]] and [[Toubou]] groups that had been in rebellion since 1990, claiming they lacked attention and resources from the central government. The government agreed to absorb some former rebels into the military and, with [[France|French]] assistance, help others return to a productive civilian life.
In [[9 April]] [[1999]], Baré was killed in a coup led by Maj. [[Daouda Malam Wanké]], who established a transitional National Reconciliation Council to oversee the drafting of a constitution for a Fifth Republic with a French style [[semi-presidential system]]. In votes that international observers found to be generally free and fair, the Nigerien electorate approved the new constitution in July [[1999]] and held legislative and presidential elections in October and November [[1999]]. Heading a coalition of the National Movement for a Developing Society (MNSD) and the Democratic and Social Convention (CDS), Mamadou Tandja won the presidency.
In [[July]] [[2004]], Niger held municipal elections nationwide as part of its decentralization process. Some 3,700 people were elected to new local governments in 265 newly established communes. The ruling MNSD party won more positions than any other political party; however, opposition parties made significant gains.
In [[November]] and [[December]] [[2004]], Niger held [[Niger presidential election, 2004|presidential]] and legislative [[Elections in Niger|elections]]. Tandja Mamadou was elected to his second 5-year presidential term with 65% of the vote in an election that international observers called generally free and fair. This was the first presidential election with a democratically elected incumbent and a test to Niger's young democracy.
In the 2004 legislative elections, the [[National Movement of the Development Society]] (MNSD), the [[Democratic and Social Convention]] (CDS), the [[Social Democratic Rally]] (RSD), the [[Rally for Democracy and Progress (Niger)|Rally for Democracy and Progress]](RDP), the [[Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Progress]] (ANDP), and the [[Party for Socialism and Democracy in Niger]] (PSDN) coalition, which backed Tandja, won 88 of the 113 seats in the National Assembly.
The [[2005 Niger food crisis]] struck the country in the wake of drought and [[locust]] attacks in the previous year.
==Politics==
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