What’s going on with the Niger coup?

At the end of July, the EU suspended security cooperation and financial support for Niger,  declaringn that it will not recognize the leaders of a „putsch” that ousted the democratically elected president.

The coup saw Niger army general Abdourahamane Tiani topple and hold captive the democratically-elected president Mohamed Bazoum on Wednesday (26 July).

Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, called for President Mohamed Bazoum’s „unconditional” release from detention.

Reportedly, the general supply of uranium to France, a key raw material in nuclear fission, is not at risk, nuclear conglomerate Orano said, after Nigerien authorities announced they would freeze French exports. But a general feeling of unease is not unreasonable, despite official disclaimers.

French President Emmanuel Macron, together with other political leaders, condemned the move, stating that „any attack against France and its interests will not be tolerated”.

France has limited economic activity in Niger, apart from uranium extraction, a resource necessary for nuclear power. French nuclear conglomerate Orano exploits one of the uranium mines in the north, near the town of Arlit, hiring over 900 staff – most of whom are locals.

France has one of the most advanced nuclear infrastructures in the EU, with almost 70% of its energy mix derived from nuclear. Swift and easy access to uranium, which France does not domestically produce, is critical, reports EurActiv.

„China is very present in Niger, and would want to avoid any significant political destabilisation”, Raphaël Danino-Perraud, associate researcher at IFRI, a think-tank, told EURACTIV.

China is seeking large amounts of uranium to support its wide-scale nuclear programme, described as „the largest and fastest […] in the world” by energy experts.

Just a month ago, the government-owned China Nuclear International Uranium Corporation brokered a deal with the Nigerien government to restart uranium extraction from a mine in Azelik. Similarly, the US has made significant military investments in Niger in the past few years.

Niger supplies 15 percent of France’s uranium needs and accounts for a fifth of the EU’s total uranium imports. Orano, France’s state-controlled nuclear fuel producer, is continuing its activities in Niger and monitoring the situation, a company spokesperson said in a statement emailed to POLITICO, stressing that „our priority is to maintain the safety of our employees in the country”.

The coup in Niger could be a challenge for Europe’s uranium needs in the longer term, just as the continent is trying to phase out dependency on Russia, another top supplier of uranium used in European nuclear plants. In 2021, Niger was the EU’s top uranium supplier, followed by Kazakhstan and Russia, according to the Supply Agency of the European Atomic Energy Community.