USAID/CPS/OTI NIGER SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT MARCH 2023

The program's objectives are to strengthen government action in resisting the spread of insecurity and to reinforce links between and within government and communities. The initiative aims to create critical linkages between local and national leaders and build public confidence in the government. The program's specific objectives are to strengthen government action in resisting the spread of insecurity and to reinforce links between and within government and communities. To achieve these objectives, the program focuses on four key areas: conflict prevention, collaborative activities, mission-driven research, and program operations, and operations. The Niger Stability Support Initiative has been implemented in the Dosso region, which is an economic hub at the crossroads of Niger and Benin. The region has become an area of interest for violent extremist organizations (VEOs) seeking to expand their activities in coastal states of West Africa. The program has also prioritized the prioritization of the capital city, Niamey, and surrounding region, which enables advocacy with national authorities while addressing the growing number of displaced persons, food insecurity, and concerns surrounding youth unemployment. The program has conducted activities with three key outcomes. Collaborative activities have increased trust and closer collaboration between the Gaya department authorities and several segments of the population, particularly youth and women. These collaborative activities have also brought the authorities of Gaya closer to the authorities of the Beninese border communes of Malanville and Karim and Karim through cross-border cooperation. The program has also supported conflict prevention activities with a view to supporting efficient and conflict resolution mechanisms that empower local actors to build resilience against internal and external threats. Lastly, mission-driven research has informed USAID and other partners about opportunities and challenges that can inform future activity development in the areas of food security, drivers of begging in Zinder, and the needs of the nomadic population in the regions of Tillabéri and Maradi.