WEST AFRICA BACKGROUND PAPERS FOR THE VICE PRESIDENT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00287R000101520001-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 37
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 23, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: July 10, 1980
• Content Type: REPORT

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m~mvrt~nuUm wllK: Bruce larks, Jr.
v'
Directibr, I~ti?nal Foreign
Assessment Center
Attached is a package of backgrow~d re~a~ing,
requested by the DCI, which he wants t0 pass to Vice
President Mondale in support of his trip to hest
Africa. The material was pulled together by QPA
and OER.
Acting Director, Political Analysis
Attachment as stated.
~5 101 cn:lwE~I~DUS
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i
NFAC_y~oa :~
!'NATIONAL FOREIGN ASSESSMENT CENTER
I
1 ~ JUL 1980
iJCTE FOR THE DIRECTOR
Attached is the package of background
~-ea~iing material that you requested for ti'ice
F~?e~id~nt Mondale. The Vice President's
itinerary has changed and he will not be
ti~i~iting Ivory Coast or Canferoon. The
itinErary now is Senegal, Niger, Nigeria,
;.7d Cape 1r'erde.
ruce C. Clarke, Jr.
Attach,ient: as stated.
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-Huai mu-nr~~xcn~-rxy
1 0 J~'L 1980
NOTE FOR THE VISE PRESIDENT
Here is a package of reading material on the
countries you will be visiting. I trust tF,e package
will be of use to you.
Attachment:
As stated.
TANS FIELD TURNER
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SENEGAL
President Leopold Senghor, who has dominated the Seneyalese
political scene since before independence in 1960, has given the country
a long period of political stability and a bias toward democratic rule.
A multiparty system was re-established in 1976.
Senghor, 73, intends to step down when his present term ends in
1983--possibly to devote more time to editing his lifetime literary
work. There are persistent rumors that Senghor might retire earlier to
facilitate transferring presidential power to his constitutional suc-
cessor, Abdou Diouf, the Prime Minister for the past ten years. Diouf,
44, is a highly competent technician, but he has had relatively little
exposure to day-to-day Senegalese politics.
Seneyal, the oldest and most favored of the French colonies iri
Africa, has retained very close ties with France since independence.
French cultural influence remains strong, most of Senegal's trade is
with France, about $150 million in French economic aid is received
annually, and a 2,000-man French military force is stationed near
Dakar.
Senegal's relations with the US are good, although subordinate to
those with France. The country's moderate foreign policies parallel US
interests in many areas, making co?peration relatively easy. Senghor
made an unofficial visit to the US in April of this year, and is inter-
ested in forging closer ties. n
PA M 80-10306
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Senghor? is deeply disturbed over what ho sees as expanding Soviet
influence in Africa. He is also an insistent advocate--with little
encouragement from other African leaders--of a multilateral African
defense force. Senegal remains one of the few African countries that
does not recognize the Soviet-backed government in Angola and it contri-
buted men and facilities to the military airlift to Zaire's Shaba Region
following the incursions there in 1978.
Senghor's concerns have recently shifted to the north, where he
pe-?ceives threatening racist and Communist-inspired encroachments by
Algeria and Libya. Senegal has long had close ties with Morocco and
Mauritania and has been an active proponent of a negotiated settlement
of the war in Western Sahara. It threatened to pull out of the Organi-
zation of African Unity if the Polisario's self-proclaimed Saharan
Dernacratic Arab Republic had been admitted to OAU membership at the
annual heads of state meeting earlier this month. Dakar has also
cracked down recently on Libyan activities in Senegal and protested
Libya's harboring of Senegalese Islamic extremists. n
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DAKAR AT A GLANCE
Dakar is a large, modern city with a major port, a sizable indus-
trial area, and road and rail connections to the interior. French
influence is readily apparent in the architecture, traffic patterns, and
other aspects of the city.
Although there is a large expatriate conanunity, the population is
predominately African, with I~tolofs--the biggest Serrtgalese tribe--in the
majority. There is a large African rter near the business district;
much of the housing there resembles US public housing develaprtients.
Suburbs adjoin the city, particularly to the north.
Dakar was developed during the colonial period as the administrative
capital for French West Africa, now eight independent countries. As a
result, many put~lic. buildings are bigger and more handsome than one
~~ould expect in such a small country.
Senegal is proud of its dual cultural heritage--French and African.
President Senghor, for instance, became famous as a poet and philosopher
long before he toUk up politics. National pride is reflected in the
university, museums, theaters, and bookstores of Dakar. In addition to
preserving its French and traditianal African cultural legacies, Senegal
has a thriving contemporary artistic conawnity. 0
Inflation and austerity are beginning to affect Elakar. Cwt-backs
in the enormous cost of maintaining a modern city have become inevitable,
and a few pockets of shabbiness are beginning to appear. The social
sFCRET
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effects of the new economic pressures are more serious, however, ar.d are
producing increases in crime and a mounting stridency among peddlers and
market women competing for customers. n
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NIGER
Predominantly Muslim Niger is t#~e largest of 4iest Africa's French-
speakiny states and, as a poor ]ar-d-locked Sahelian cou~ttry, is vulnerable
to a variety of external cross press~rres. It is tt+e fe~rrth-ranking
producer of uranium in the non-Communist world. Niger's security will
continue to depend on the ability of its leaders to balance relations
with the Arab world--including Libya--its black African neighbors, ar~d
France.
In the five years since the military *aok power, Niger has peen
run b_y an 11-man Supreme Military Council, chaired by pro-Western
President Seyni Kountche and dominated by fellow officers of the small
Ojerma tribe. Kountche has established considerable political stability
in Niger, and his regime is capable of handling most internal distur-
bances. 0
Niyer's 5 million people are concentrated lar~terlY in tl~e southern
agricultural region; nomadic herders inhabit the nartherr- desert zone.
Kountche i s concerned that Niger's Flausa tri besn~crt--who arc from the
south and comprise about half the population--caald rre a destabilizing
force if they become seriouslw disenchanted. The t~rsa Mrarve little
influence in the government, although they dominate the country's agri-
cultural and commercial sectors.
Uranium was discovered in northwest Niger in the early 1960s.
Mining began in 1968 under the auspices of a consortium of public and
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private investors from France, West Germany, Italy, and Niger. In 1918
a second mining conrpany was formed by investors from France, Japan,
Spain and Niger. Three other uranium mines are expected to begin
production during the 1980s. Spurred by growing world demand, Niger's
production more than doubled from 1977 to 1979, which significantly
improved the econorny--formerly dependent on agricultural exports,
subsistence farming, and herding.
Forei_~n Poles
Kountche's foreign policy is heavily influenced by the need to get
along with Libya, Nigeria, and France.
Libya also has
provided marauding Toubou tribesmen with modern small arms, making it
difficult for the thinly spread government forces to control them.
Kountche, nevertheless, endeavors to remain on good terms with Qadhafi,
and Niger recently sold 200 tons of uranium to Libya, some of which
reportedly was resold to Pakistan.
Niger regards Nigeria with respect, suspicion, and jealousy, but
strives to stay on good terms. Nigeria disrupts Niger's economy by
drawing food and other local items--often through smuggling--out of
its controlled markets.
k:ountche depends on France for political, economic, and military
support to check Libyan and Nigerian influence in P~iger. French finan-
cial and technical aid has been substantial since independence in 1960.
~~CR~'T
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Niger supplies much of France's uranium requirements. France and Niger
have no formal mutual defense agreement, but France probably would
a:~sist Niger against external aggression.
Relations with US
Niger's relations with the US are friendly but are overshadowed by
the country`s close ties with France. The US ranks fifth among foreign
c:onors. There may be a major American investment in uranium exploitation
by the mid 1980s, but there are no significant US investments now. The
US buys nothing from Niger and gees not provide military assistance.
Since the Sahel drought the US has con~itted substantial resources to a
major regional development scheme. n
cc-ro~rT
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NIAMEY AT A GLANCE
Niamey, the capital and principal city of Niger, is a modern and
expanding city of 102,000 residents. Formerly a small fishing village
on the Niger River in the southwest corner of the country, it was
selected as the capital in 1925. The city now profits from extensive
river traffic which provides an abundance of fresh fish and produce. 25X1
Food is sold in the Small Market in the center of the business
district, while the picturesque Large Market specializes in Nigerien
and Malian fabrics, iron and copper work, and leather. Street venders
sell their wares at the Large Market and some small manufacturers sur-
round the market place. Higher priced, but better quality items are
sold at the National Museum, which is integrated with an exhibit on the
musical arrd artistic heritage of Niger, examples of huts and tents from
different provinces, and the zoo. ~ 25X1
Niamey's triangular shape covers 5-6 miles, the lcngest side
bor?dering the river. The many trees give the city a greenness that
contrasts with the generally grid surrounding countryside. The Mosque--
next to the Large Market--is a mo-darn white building in traditional
style. Most buildings are one-story structures of sun-baked brick.
Some fine houses are inhabited by ministers and diplomats, but the other
quarters, housing Europeans and middle and senior level Nigerien civil
servants, are small cement bungalows situated on fair-sized lots. 25X1
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 -- CC}f~f ~r"liTT74i
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NIGERIA
Political Situation
Nigeria embarked last October on a new and untested system of
civilian government after 13 years of military rule. The 10-month old
regime of President Shehu Shagari, a 55-year old northern Muslim, is
functioning reasonably well though not without teething problems. The
President is concentrating an making the new constitution work and on
institution building, while aggressively trying to brc~a~n the ruling
National Party's base of support for the 1983 elections. Sha~gari's
style is low keyed and pragmatic. Mis stated policies acre Aerate ark
sensible. Major domestic priorities are agriculture, h~-si~tg, eclu~atimn,
industry, and improving the foreign investment climate.
The perponderance of political and military p