“We have already met with Russian companies that are interested in coming to explore and exploit Niger’s natural resources… not only uranium,” Niger’s minister of mines, Usman Abarchi, said. Niger’s junta, which seized power in a July 2023 coup, had previously made clear it would revamp rules regulating the mining of raw materials by foreign companies. Nigerian authorities are unlikely to allow French companies to continue mining uranium on their territory owing to the fact that Paris has not recognized the new leadership of the state, according to Usman Abarchi. “The French state, through its head, stated that it does not recognize the current authorities of Niger. Do you think it is possible for us … to allow French companies to continue mining our natural resources?”, Abarchi said.

Source: The North Africa Journal November 14, 2024 11:41 UTC