Accord de paix entre les communautés peulh et arabe mahamid des communes de Foulatari, N'guelbeli, Goudoumaria et Mainé Soroa

  • Country/entity
    Niger
  • Region
    Africa (excl MENA)
  • Agreement name
    Accord de paix entre les communautés peulh et arabe mahamid des communes de Foulatari, N'guelbeli, Goudoumaria et Mainé Soroa
  • Date
    23 Dec 2018
  • Agreement status
    Multiparty signed/agreed
  • Interim arrangement
    Yes
  • Agreement/conflict level
    Intrastate/local conflict ()
  • Stage
    Pre-negotiation/process
  • Conflict nature
    Inter-group
  • Peace process
    Niger local agreements
  • Parties
    For the Foulatari community: Lamido Kanta Chabou
    N'guelbeli community: Saidou Moussa
    Goudoumaria community: Ariou Mamadou
    Mainé Soroa community: Tahirou Moussa
  • Third parties
    Unsigned, but agreement mentions the facilitation of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue
    Representatives of 'Peuls': Adbou Adamou
    Representatives of 'Arabes Madamid': Zakaria Djafar, Issoufou Chafém Abbé Abdrahmane
    For the traditional chiefs: Mahamadou Bello A. Kanta, Adamou Kanta, Mahamane Mai Mowoa
  • Description
    Agreement to end inter-communal violence centring on agricultural disputes.

Local agreement properties

  • Process type
    Formal structured process
  • Rationale
    This agreement was signed in the context of a 'three-month mediation process facilitated by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), on behalf of the High Authority for Peacebuilding and in support of the communal peace committees' (p.3). About nine months after this agreement was signed, traditional leaders in the Diffa region struck another peace agreement (September 2019; see https://reliefweb.int/report/niger/signing-declaration-commitment-intercommunal-conflict-prevention-between-traditional), suggesting that this is not an isolated example.
  • Is there a documented link to a national peace process?
    No
  • Link to national process: articulated rationale
    Neither the agreement text nor limited background research suggests a link to a national-level peace process.
  • Name of Locale
    Foulatari, N'guelbeli, Goudoumaria and Maïné-Soroa municipalities (Diffa region)
  • Nature Of Locale
    Region
  • GPS Lat/Long (DD)
    13.716936, 11.809987
  • Participant type
    Local state actor
    International or transnational actor
    Domestic religious organisation/leader or other elder
    Local community/civilian group(s)/civil society organisations
    Regional state actor
  • Mediator, facilitator or similar
    Mediator or similar referred to
    Mediator (references)
    Mediator: Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), 'on behalf of the High Authority for Peacebuilding and in support of the communal peace committees' (p.3)
    Type of mediator/facilitator/similar
    International or transnational actor

Local issues

  • Ritual/prayer and process (including use of scripture)

    No specific mention.

  • Grievance List
    Page 2, Preamble, Aware that the sharing of natural resources, including water points and pastures, is a source of tension between us, one that risks causing a conflict during the annual transhumance of livestock to the northern pastoral area of the region;
    Aware that this risk is aggravated by the deadly clashes, linked to the straying of animals and theft of cattle, which have already taken place amongst members of our communities, and which harbour feelings of revenge during the transhumance period;
  • Cattle rustling/banditry
    Page 2, Preamble, Aware that this risk is aggravated by the deadly clashes, linked to the straying of animals and theft of cattle, which have already taken place amongst members of our communities, and which harbour feelings of revenge during the transhumance period;

    Page 3, Article 2: Specific commitments of the Parties, In order to prevent any conflicts, the Parties undertake to: ... - Fight the theft / looting of cattle regardless of which community the owner belongs to:
  • Social cover

    No specific mention.

Peace agreement between the Fulani And Mahamid Arab communities of the Foulatari, N'guelbeli, Goudoumaria and Maine Soroa municipalities

December 2018

Preamble

We, the Fulani And Mahamid Arab pastoral communities of the Foulatari, N'guelbeli, Goudoumaria and Maine Soroa municipalities, hereinafter referred to as the Parties;

Aware that the sharing of natural resources, including water points and pastures, is a source of tension between us, one that risks causing a conflict during the annual transhumance of livestock to the northern pastoral area of the region;

Aware that this risk is aggravated by the deadly clashes, linked to the straying of animals and theft of cattle, which have already taken place amongst members of our communities, and which harbour feelings of revenge during the transhumance period;

Aware that the occurrence of inter-community conflicts would lead to an escalation of the violence in the already unstable Diffa region;

We are meeting in Diffa with the aid of a three-month mediation process facilitated by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), on behalf of the High Authority for Peacebuilding and in support of the communal peace committees, and we commit to implementing this Agreement’s following provisions:

Article 1:

General commitment of the Parties

The Parties hereby undertake to promoting peace and to preventing any conflicts between them through joint management of pastoral resources.

Article 2:

Specific commitments of the Parties

In order to prevent any conflicts, the Parties undertake to:

- Respect and enforce the rules of access to pastoral resources;

- Run joint awareness-raising sessions for members of their community on water access rules and on the roles and responsibilities of water point management committees;

- Refer to traditional and administrative authorities in case of disagreement:

- Fight the theft / looting of cattle regardless of which community the owner belongs to:

- Encourage young people and opinion leaders to commit themselves to the prevention of any conflicts and to strive for negotiated solutions to disputes;

- Jointly organize collective prayer sessions for peace and social cohesion.

In addition, the Fulani community undertakes to:

- Not harm stray animals (camels) that are found away from their fields or encampments;

- Guarantee non-discriminatory access to water;

- Respect the rules of access to the water points.

In addition, the Arab Mahamid community undertakes to:

- Ensure the Mahamid Arabs travelling with animals for the annual transhumance do not camp near water points;

- Respect the rules of access to water points;

- Avoid sending unaccompanied children to water points.

Article 3:

Settlement of disputes

The Parties undertake to give priority to dialogue and mediation to settle any dispute that may arise, through the Communal Peace Committees or the authorities.

Article 4:

Compliance with Agreement

A monitoring committee consisting of eight members (four members of the CPCs, and four traditional leaders) will be established by consensus to ensure compliance with this Agreement and to serve as a mediator for breaches of its terms.

Signed in Diffa on 23/12/2018