Le Figaro: After the coup in Niger… France is concerned about uranium supplies

The French Le Figaro newspaper reported, on Saturday, that the crisis in Niger raises French concerns about its supplies of uranium from the African country.

The coup in Niger took France by surprise, and the fragility of President Muhammad Bazoum’s regime was well known, and the president wasn’t unanimous within the Nigerien army.

Despite this, no one expected such a sudden coup.

After three days of the events, there are still many questions, as Paris is wondering about a way out of the crisis with one of its main African partners.

France and its European partners are so besieged that they envision their bilateral partnerships with Niger as an example of the new cooperation that will be established between Europe and Africa.

According to Le Figaro, the crisis in Niger raises concerns about supplying France with uranium, as the French company “Orano” operates mines in Niger.

In addition, French nuclear power plants depend on 10% of Niger crude.

At the beginning of 2023, the town of Arlit in northern Niger was left submerged in 20 million tons of radioactive waste, after the closure of a uranium mine run by the French company Orano.

People who lives in that region are exposed to levels of radiation higher than the limits recommended by health experts.

Niger supplied the European Union with about 25% of the uranium supplies, which helped produce electricity for millions of homes.

The French “Orano” nuclear company began mining uranium reserves in Niger in the 1970s.