Editing Niger (section)

== Governance and politics ==
{{more citations needed|section|date=August 2020}}
{{Main|Politics of Niger|Government of Niger}}
[[File:Shinzo Abe and Mahamadou Issoufou at the Enthronement of Naruhito (1).jpg|thumb|President [[Mahamadou Issoufou]] and Japanese Prime Minister [[Shinzo Abe]] in October 2019]]

Niger's new constitution was approved on 31 October 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/ner128397.pdf |title=Niger's Constitution of 2010 |website=faolex.fo.org |date=26 September 2013 |access-date=1 May 2025}}</ref> It restored the semi-presidential system of government of the 1999 constitution (Fifth Republic) in which the president of the republic, elected by [[universal suffrage]] for a five-year term, and a prime minister named by the president share [[executive power]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/ner128397.pdf |title=Niger 2010 Constitution |author=William S. Hein |website=faolex.fo.org |date=2012 |access-date=10 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.refworld.org/reference/annualreport/usdos/2010/en/72356?utm_source=chatgpt.com |title=2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - Niger |author=Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor |website=refworld.org |date=11 March 2010 |access-date=10 May 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://wipolex-res.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/ne/ne005en.html |title=Constitution of Niger |date=2 December 2013 |access-date=10 May 2025}}</ref> Since the July [[2023 Nigerien coup d'état]], the government has been led by [[Abdourahamane Tchiani]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9855/CBP-9855.pdf |author=Sebastian Elischer |title=July 2023 coup in Niger |date=25 September 2023 |access-date=10 May 2025}}</ref>

=== Foreign relations ===
{{Main|Foreign relations of Niger}}
Niger pursues a moderate foreign policy and maintains friendly relations with the West and the Islamic world as well as non-aligned countries. It belongs to the UN and its main specialized agencies and in 1980–81 served on the [[UN Security Council]]. Niger maintains a special relationship with former colonial power France and has close relations with its West African neighbors.

Niger is a charter member of the [[African Union]] and the [[West African Monetary Union]] and also belongs to the [[Niger Basin Authority]] and [[Lake Chad Basin Commission]], the [[Economic Community of West African States]], the [[Non-Aligned Movement]], the [[Organisation of Islamic Cooperation]] and the [[Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa]] ([[OHADA]]). The westernmost regions of Niger are joined with contiguous regions of Mali and Burkina Faso under the [[Liptako–Gourma Authority]].

The border dispute with Benin, inherited from colonial times and concerning inter alia [[Lété Island]] in the [[Niger River]], was solved by the [[International Court of Justice]] in 2005 to Niger's advantage.

=== Military ===
{{Further|Niger Armed Forces}}
[[File:Niger Army 322nd Parachute Regiment.jpg|thumb|right|Soldiers from the 322nd Parachute Regiment practice field tactics with the U.S. Army, 2007]]
The Niger Armed Forces (Forces armées nigériennes) are the military and paramilitary forces of Niger, under the president as supreme commander. They consist of the Niger Army (Armée de Terre), the Niger Air Force (Armée de l'Air) and the auxiliary paramilitary forces, such as the [[Gendarmerie Nationale (Niger)|National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie nationale)]] and the [[National Guard of Niger|National Guard (Garde nationale)]]. Both paramilitary forces are trained in military fashion and have some military responsibilities in wartime. In peace time their duties are mostly policing duties.

The armed forces are composed of approximately 12,900 personnel, including 3,700 [[Gendarmerie Nationale (Niger)|gendarmes]], 3,200 [[National Guard of Niger|national guards]], 300 air force personnel, and 6,000 army personnel. The armed forces of Niger have been involved in several military coups over the years with the [[2023 Nigerien coup d'état|most recent in 2023]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Soldiers announce coup in Niger – DW – 07/28/2023 |url=https://www.dw.com/en/niger-army-declares-support-for-coup-leaders/video-66361471 |access-date=2023-07-31 |website=dw.com |language=en }}{{Dead link|date=April 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Niger's armed forces have a long history of military cooperation with France and the United States. From 2013, Niamey was home to a U.S. drone base. On 16 March 2024, Niger's government announced that it was breaking off "with immediate effect" its military cooperation agreement with the United States.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/niger-revokes-military-accord-with-us-junta-spokesperson-says-2024-03-16/ |title=Niger revokes military accord with US, junta spokesperson says |last1=Balima |first1=Boureima |last2=Felix |first2=Bate |date=16 March 2024 |work=Reuters |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240326095805/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/niger-revokes-military-accord-with-us-junta-spokesperson-says-2024-03-16/ |archive-date=26 March 2024}}</ref>

=== Judicial system ===
{{Main|Judiciary of Niger}}
The current Judiciary of Niger was established with the creation of the Fourth Republic in 1999. The constitution of December 1992 was revised by national referendum on 12 May 1996 and, again, by referendum, revised to the current version on 18 July 1999. It is based on the [[Code Napoleon]] "''[[Inquisitorial system]]''", established in Niger during French colonial rule and the 1960 Constitution of Niger. The Court of Appeals reviews questions of fact and law, while the Supreme Court reviews application of the law and constitutional questions. The High Court of Justice (HCJ) deals with cases involving senior government officials. The justice system also includes civil criminal courts, customary courts, traditional mediation, and a military court.<ref name=Sory>[http://www.etat.sciencespobordeaux.fr/institutionnel/niger.html#Syst%E8me%20judiciaire Niger:Système judiciaire] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081126022100/http://www.etat.sciencespobordeaux.fr/institutionnel/niger.html |date=26 November 2008}}. NIGER Situation institutionnelle. Sory Baldé, CEAN, IEP-Université Montesquieu-Bordeaux IV (2007) Accessed 13 April 2009</ref> The military court provides the same rights as civil criminal courts; however, customary courts do not. The military court cannot try civilians.<ref name=USHRR2008>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090226175359/http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/af/119017.htm 2008 Human Rights Report: Niger] in 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. United States Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. (25 February 2009) As a publication of the United States Federal Government, this report is in the [[Public Domain]]. Portions of it may be used here verbatim.</ref>

=== Law enforcement ===
{{Main|Law enforcement in Niger}}
Law enforcement in Niger is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defense through the [[Gendarmerie Nationale (Niger)|National Gendarmerie]] and the Ministry of the Interior through the [[National Police (Niger)|National Police]] and the [[National Guard of Niger|National Guard]]. The [[National Police (Niger)|National Police]] is primarily responsible for law enforcement in urban areas. Outside big cities and in rural areas, this responsibility falls on the [[Gendarmerie Nationale (Niger)|National Gendarmerie]] and the [[National Guard of Niger|National Guard]].

=== Government finance ===
Government finance is derived from revenue exports (mining, oil and agricultural exports) as well as various forms of taxes collected by the government. In the past, foreign aid has contributed to large percentages of the budget. In 2013, Niger's government has adopted a zero-deficit budget of 1.279 trillion CFA francs ($2.53 billion) which is claimed to balance revenues and expenditures by an 11% reduction in the budget from the previous year.<ref>[http://in.reuters.com/article/niger-budget-idINL5E8KM1TI20120922 Niger government adopts $2.53 bln budget for 2013] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028043246/http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/09/22/niger-budget-idINL5E8KM1TI20120922 |date=28 October 2014}}. [[Reuters]], 22 September 2012.</ref>

The 2014 budget was 1.867 trillion CFA which is distributed as follows according to: public debt (76,703,692,000 CFA), personnel expenditures (210,979,633,960 CFA), operating expenditures (128,988,777,711 CFA); subsidies and transfers (308,379,641,366 CFA) and investment (1,142,513,658,712 CFA).<ref>{{in lang|fr}}[http://nigerexpress.info/2013/11/28/niger-le-budget-2014-porte-a-1-867-milliards/ Niger : le budget 2014 porté à 1.867 milliards] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805215851/http://nigerexpress.info/2013/11/28/niger-le-budget-2014-porte-a-1-867-milliards/ |date=5 August 2020}}. ''Niger Express'', 28 November 2013.</ref>

==== Foreign aid ====
The importance of external support for Niger's development is demonstrated by the fact that about 45% of the government's FY 2002 budget, including 80% of its capital budget, derives from donor resources.<ref name=ussd2009>[https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5474.htm Background Notes for Niger: January 2009] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524232128/https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/5474.htm |date=24 May 2019}} Bureau of African Affairs, United States State Department. Retrieved 26 February 2009. Portions of the "Economy" section are here used verbatim, as this document is in the public domain.</ref> The most important donors in Niger are France, the [[European Union]], the [[World Bank]], the [[International Monetary Fund]], and various [[United Nations]] agencies ([[UNDP]], [[UNICEF]], [[FAO]], [[World Food Program]], and [[United Nations Population Fund]]).

Other principal donors include the United States, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Canada, and [[Saudi Arabia]].{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} While [[USAID]] does not have an office in Niger, the United States is a major donor, contributing nearly $10 million each year to Niger's development.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} The U.S. also is a major partner in policy coordination in such areas as food security and HIV/AIDS.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}}

=== Administrative divisions ===
[[File:Niger administrative divisions.svg|thumb|upright=2.25|Administrative divisions of Niger]]
{{Main|Regions of Niger|Departments of Niger|Communes of Niger}}
Niger is divided into 7 [[Regions of Niger|Regions]] and one capital district. These Regions are subdivided into 36 [[Departments of Niger|departments]]. The 36 Departments are currently broken down into Communes of varying types. {{As of|2006}} there were 265 communes, including communes urbaines (Urban Communes: as subdivisions of major cities), communes rurales (Rural Communes), in sparsely populated areas and postes administratifs (Administrative Posts) for largely uninhabited desert areas or military zones.

Rural communes may contain official villages and settlements, while Urban Communes are divided into quarters. Niger subvisions were renamed in 2002, in the implementation of a decentralisation project, first begun in 1998. Previously, Niger was divided into 7 Departments, 36 Arrondissements, and Communes. These subdivisions were administered by officials appointed by the national government. These offices will be replaced in the future by democratically elected councils at each level.

The ''pre-2002'' departments (renamed as regions) and capital district are:
* [[Agadez Region]]
* [[Diffa Region]]
* [[Dosso Region]]
* [[Maradi Region]]
* [[Tahoua Region]]
* [[Tillabéri Region]]
* [[Zinder Region]]
* [[Niamey]] {{smaller|(capital district)}}

=== Largest cities and towns ===
{{Further|List of cities in Niger}}
{{Largest cities
| country      = Niger
| stat_ref     = According to the 2012 Census<ref>{{cite web|url=http://citypopulation.de/Niger-Cities.html|title=Niger|access-date=2019-11-06|archive-date=6 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190406180216/http://www.citypopulation.de/Niger-Cities.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
| list_by_pop  =
| div_name     = Region
| div_link     =

| city_1 = Niamey
| div_1 = Niamey <!-- Capital District -->
| pop_1 = 978,029
| img_1 = Niamey from the sky.jpg

| city_2 = Maradi, Niger{{!}}Maradi
| div_2 = Maradi Region{{!}}Maradi
| pop_2 = 267,249
| img_2 = Village maradi niger.jpg

| city_3 = Zinder
| div_3 = Zinder Region{{!}}Zinder
| pop_3 = 235,605
| img_3 = Zinder (6328886864).jpg

| city_4 = Tahoua
| div_4 = Tahoua Region{{!}}Tahoua
| pop_4 = 117,826
| img_4 = Femmes rurales et taches ménageres.jpg

| city_5 = Agadez
| div_5 = Agadez Region{{!}}Agadez
| pop_5 = 110,497

| city_6 = Arlit
| div_6 = Agadez Region{{!}}Agadez
| pop_6 = 78,651

| city_7 = Birni-N'Konni
| div_7 = Tahoua Region{{!}}Tahoua
| pop_7 = 63,169

| city_8 = Dosso, Niger{{!}}Dosso
| div_8 = Dosso Region{{!}}Dosso
| pop_8 = 58,671

| city_9 = Gaya, Niger{{!}}Gaya
| div_9 = Dosso Region{{!}}Dosso
| pop_9 = 45,465

| city_10 = Tessaoua
| div_10 = Maradi Region{{!}}Maradi
| pop_10 = 43,409

}}