Niamey 11 Oct (ANA) - Angela Merkel has become the first German chancellor to visit Niger, one of the world’s poorest countries. She has promised money and military vehicles to help the country fight human trafficking and the militant threat. She is on the second leg of a three-country African tour which started in Mali and will finish in Ethiopia. Last month, she said the EU needed to establish deals with North African countries, along the lines of its agreement with Turkey, to curb migrant flows across its territory to southeast Europe. The long-term goal is to stabilise African countries by creating better economic conditions, thereby tackling one of the root causes of migration. Niger’s President Mahamadou Issoufou welcomed Germany’s assistance. However, he said more money is needed from EU countries to tackle the migration challenge. “We need massively more aid,” he told reporters. An estimated 90% of migrants who reach Libya and head for the EU across the Mediterranean have crossed through Niger. This means the country is a crucial partner for Europe in controlling the flow of migrants. Germany, France and Italy say they want to develop particularly closer relations with Niger and neighbouring Mali.(ANA)

FA/ANA/11 October 2016-----