The French are furious: Niger is exporting uranium mined by Orano to an unknown destination

Niger exports uranium mined at the Arlit mine, where the French Orano worked. The company was deprived of the rights to the mine due to refusal to invest. The French are threatening the Niger government with consequences.

The French Orano said that it became aware of the shipment of uranium from the SOMAIR mine expropriated from it in the north of Niger. It is reported by Reuters.

The company referred to media reports that the convoy with uranium had left Arlit.

"Transporting a large amount of uranium through an unprotected corridor poses a significant security threat," Orano said.

Sources told Reuters that 1,050 tons of uranium had been removed from the mine's warehouse, but the route and buyer remained unknown. Niger's state television at the same time reported that the country would use its "legitimate right" to sell uranium to any buyer in accordance with market rules, since sovereignty over natural resources is "non-negotiable."

The broadcaster also showed a visit to the mine by President Abdurahman Tiani, who vowed to put an end to French control and decades of looting of the country.

"Such export violates the September decision of the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes of the World Bank, which banned Niger from selling or transferring uranium to SOMAIR, violating the rights of Orano," Reuters writes.

The French company itself stated that it reserves the right to initiate further lawsuits, including criminal prosecution, against third parties.

Previously, Orano owned 63.4% of the shares of the Arlit mine, and the rest belonged to the state of Niger. However, a year ago, the French company told the country's authorities that it would not invest in mining at the mine and the next day lost operational control over the facility.

Sources told The Africa Report that the Niger authorities had closed all doors to negotiations and the situation had reached the point of no return.

Even earlier in 2024, Orano lost the rights to develop uranium deposits in Niger to its other enterprise, Imouraren. The authorities of Niger considered that the company was not fulfilling its obligations and was delaying the development of the field of the same name.