VISIT TO NIAMEY OF A HIGH-LEVEL LIBYAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE DELEGATION; ANTICIPATED DELAY IN START OF CONSTRUCTION ON THE TRANS-SAHARAN HIGHWAY PROJECT UNTIL APPROXIMATELY SEPTEMBER 2009

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06298204
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: September 11, 2019
• Case Number: F-2018-02270
• Publication Date: December 4, 2008

Approved for Release: 2018/12;28 C06298204
S RET/ NOFORN
SEpt(ET// /NOFORN//MR
/= /NF) VISIT TO NIAMEY OF A HIGH-LEVEL LIBYAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
DELEGATION; ANTICIPATED DELAY IN START OF CONSTRUCTION ON THE
TRANS-SAHARAN HIGHWAY PROJECT UNTIL APPROXIMATELY SEPTEMBER 2009
Central Intelligence Agency
04 December 2008
NF) CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY INFORMATION REPORT,
k/J FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE
(U) CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
U) SENSITIVE INTELLIGENCE SOURCES AND METHODS INVOLVED. ANY TRANSMISSION OR REVELATION OF THIS
INFORMATION IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED. VIOLATORS MAY BE SUBJECT TO
CRIMINAL PROSECUTION, INCLUDING UNDER THE ESPIONAGE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES. REPORT CLASS�.�,E..-eirr
'T--HANDLE VIA HUMINT CHANNELS ONLY--NOFORN
L(U) EXCLUSIVE DISSEMINATION TO ADDRESSEES LISTED AT END OF REPORT
REPORT CI ASS S E 2(E T--HANDLE VIA HUMINT CHANNELS ONLY--NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS.
ALL PORTIONS CARRY I (b)(3)
ICLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL uouumEN I. tNt.) MtbAC.It StlAtt I.
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
I SOURCE
1
1 CONTEXT
X/ INF) 1
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
t/r/NF) 2. In late September 2008, a high-level Libyan development assistance delegation visited Niger for
veradays. One purpose of the visit was to officially inaugurate several completed projects funded by Libya.
These projects included the paving of the corniche road along the Niger River in Niamey that abuts the Yantala
Gardens truck-gardening zone, an effort that took several years and was described on billboards along the
roadway as a personal gift to the people of Niger from Libyan leader Mu'ammar abu Minyar al-((Qadhafi)). As
often occurred in connection with such visits, the Libyan delegation visited with only 24-hours notice to the
Nigerien government. The delegation arrived by air in Niamey without Nigerien overflight clearance, irritating their
Nigerien hosts.
(b)(3)
SECilET/
/NOFORN Page 1 of (b)(3)
Approved for Release: 2018/12/28 C06298204
Approved for Release: 2018/12/28 C06298204
SE ET// NOFORN (b)(3)
/// /NF) 3. Another purpose of the visit was to expedite the work on the Libyan-funded Trans-Saharan
-lighway project, budgeted at more than 700 million euros (approximately 900 million U.S. dollars), leading from
southern Libya to Agadez (16-58N, 07-59E) in north-central Niger via the BiIma oasis (18-41N, 12-56E). It now
appeared that the Trans-Saharan project, which a lower-ranking previous Libyan delegation had sought to
expedite in August 2008, would not begin until approximately September 2009, eight months later than
previously planned. For the most Dart discussions with senior Niaerien transportation and other officials were
hiahlv technical in nature.
At the conclusion of the delegation's visit, there
appeared to be little basis for expecting construction to begin as planned, even after the anticipated minimum
eight-month delay.
)'I/fl/NF) 4. Principal members of the delegation, which comprised a total of 12 Libyans, included:
///r1/NF) --Maatug Mohamed ((Maatug)), aka ((Matoug)), Libya's Minister of Manpower and Training;
7// /NF) --Mohamed ((Siala)), Libya's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Cooperation;
($//l/NF) --Colonel Mabruq ((Zahmul)), a career Libyan Army officer in charge of Libyan
fnfrastructural-development aid projects throughout Africa.
:(// /NF) 5. Maatug, who had held ministerial rank since approximately 1990, had a background with Libya's
evolutionary Committees. He was widely believed either to have carried out himself, or to have ordered others
to carry out, the fusillade of automatic weapons fire that killed a British police officer, Yvonne ((Fletcher)), outside
the Libyan Embassy in London on 17 April 1984, an incident that led soon afterward to Britain's severing of
diplomatic relations with Libya. Qadhafi perceived Maatug's involvement in the London confrontation in favorable
terms and it marked the beginning of Maatug's meteoric rise in the government.
(b)(3)
(b)(1)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
ET// NOFORN Page 2 of 2(b)(3)
Approved for Release: 2018/12/28 C06298204