The Abdou Moumouni University (fr. Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey, UAM) was founded 1971 and is the the only public university in Niger. At the University currently 8000 students studying at five faculties: Natural sciences, agriculture, medicine, social sciences, business and law. The degrees offered are equivalent to Bachelor and Master. Several research programs dealing with development-relevant issues such as food security, food shortages, environmental protection, resource management, desertification, education, economic and cultural development, as well as conflict analysis and conflict management.
The International Network for Strategic Studies on Conflicts in Africa RIESCA is institutionally embeded at the Université Abdou Moumouni de Niamey. RIESCA was established in 1991 by the participants at the “International Symposium on border conflicts Africa”. It mainly consists of scientists who focus on conflict and peace-building issues in Africa. As part of the commitment in the network PASPA (Partenariat Strategique pour la Paix en Afrique) RIESCA works closely with other civil society organizations mainly in West Africa. RIESCA leads multidisciplinary studies in representative locations for each country to achieve comparative evidence on the peace issue. Evaluation of these analyzes of administrative actors and civil society will allow a better understanding of the social dynamics that lead to violence. RIESCA also implements trainings of representatives of civil society, and here particularly marginalized groups of representatives in the field of conflict prevention and mangement.