French companies are the principal owner of three major uranium mines in Niger, which has the richest uranium cores in Africa.
Niger is the world’s seventh-largest producer of uranium in the world and the second-largest producer of Uranium for the European Union. Some 70% of electricity created in France is made using nuclear power.
The Nigerien military leadership that ousted the Bazoum government of Niger in July ordered the French ambassador to Niamey to leave the country within 48 hours.
The order came against French Ambassador Sylvain Itte, who reportedly declined to respond to an invitation to speak with the country’s new foreign minister, according to the Niger government. Officials also cited “other actions of the French government contrary to the interests of Niger,” in deciding to expel Itte.
The decision comes after a series of protests by citizens against the continued French presence in the area and statements by the military leaders against the former colonial power.
In response, the French foreign ministry said that “putschists have no authority,” to demand its ambassador to leave.
“The ambassador’s approval comes solely from the legitimate elected Nigerien authorities,” officials said.
France, which has about 1,500 soldiers stationed within Nigerien borders, has so far refused to recognize the military leadership’s decision to revoke agreements between France and the former government of Niger, arguing those deals were made by the country’s “legitimate authorities.”
Not long after reports surfaced of the order for Itte’s departure, media reported that the Nigerien leadership had also issued the same 48-hour order to envoys from Germany, the US and Niger before retractions were issued, citing a false letter circulating online.
Addressing reports surrounding the US order, a State Department spokesperson told Sputnik that images of a letter circulating online of Niger’s foreign ministry calling for the departure of US Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon is false.
“The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has communicated to the United States of America that the images of letters circulating on the internet calling for the departure of certain American diplomatic personnel were not issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” the spokesperson said on Friday. “No such request has been made to the US government.”
In late July, the military leadership of Niger deposed President Mohamed Bazoum, one of three similar events in the area in as many years. Burkina Faso and Mali also experienced military takeovers in 2022 and 2021, respectively. Both of those countries also expelled French troops from their borders.
France has called for the restoration of the Bazoum administration. It has also supported the Economic Communist of West African States (ECOWAS) which has imposed sanctions on Niger and has threatened military action to “restore constitutional order.”
Niger has accused ECOWAS of being in the pocket of France and recently announced that they will allow the militaries of Burkina Faso and Mali to operate within Nigerien borders in the event of a military conflict, both have pledged to protect Niger from military intervention.
“Any military intervention against Niger will simulate a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali,” the two countries said in a joint statement, adding that the two countries would exit ECOWAS if the bloc took military action against Niger. “
“[Burkina Faso and Mali] warn of the disastrous consequences of military intervention in Niger, which could destabilize the entire region as NATO’s unilateral intervention in Libya did, which led to the spread of terrorism in the Sahel and West Africa,” the statement said.
