Almost one billion Euros has been pledged by international donors to save Africa's Niger river at a donors conference in the Niger capital, Niamey.

About 907 million euros (1.4 billion dollars) was raised with pledges from the World Bank (500 million euros), France (250 million) and the Islamic Development Bank (100 million) comprising the lion's share.

The West African Development Bank, the European Union, the United Nations' culture agency UNESCO, Germany, Canada and West Africa's Economic and Monetary Union are the other main donors.

Niger Basin Authority (ABN), an intergovernmental body grouping the countries irrigated by Africa's third-longest river, plans to use the money to begin work on the first phase in a 5.5 billion-euro, 20-year rescue plan adopted in April.

Two dams, one in Niger and the other in Mali, will be the focus of an initial five-year project, as well as tree-planting, rehabilitating plains and removing silt from river bed.

Around 20 percent of the money is aimed at protecting natural resources and ecosystems. Subsequent stages are not due to be completed until 2027.

Click here to read more