The President of the Republic His Excellency Paul BIYA granted audiences on 15 May 2013 to ISSOUFOU ISSAKA, Niger’s Minister of Water and Environment, bearer of a message from President MAHAMADOU ISSOUFOU, and the Chadian Prime Minister, Joseph DJIMRANGAR, bearer of a special message from Chadian President Idriss DEBY ITNO

The envoy from Niger told the press at the end of the audience that he brought a sealed message from President MAHAMADOU ISSOUFOU to President Paul BIYA, related to the plight of Lake Chad. The rapid loss of water in the lake and security concerns in the countries that make up the Lake Chad Basin Commission, namely Chad, Libya, Niger, Nigeria, Central African Republic and Cameroon. As the current president of the commission, Niger has to prod the other members for a more concrete action on these issues.

The second audience at Unity Palace this afternoon lasted over one hour as the Chadian Prime Minister, Joseph DJIMRANGAR, leader of an important delegation of several officials, held discussions with President Paul BIYA on numerous issues of great importance to the two countries. 

It should be recalled that these two neighbourly and brotherly countries are both members of the sub-region and are closely following the recent crises in the Central African Republic, a country that has boundaries with both Cameroon and Chad.

The audience also took place on the eve of the return of several hundreds of Chadian soldiers from Mali where they have been fighting against islamist rebels.