Niger’s military government has revoked the operating license of French nuclear fuel producer Orano at one of the world’s largest uranium mines, the company announced on Thursday, June 20, 2023. This decision underscores escalating tensions between the junta, which seized power in a coup in July last year, and France, the former colonial power.
The military government, which came to power with a mandate to sever ties with the West, has committed to reassessing mining concessions in the country and demanding the withdrawal of Western troops. Orano has been ordered to vacate the Imouraren mine in northern Niger, which holds an estimated 200,000 tonnes of uranium essential for nuclear energy production.
Mining at the Imouraren site was scheduled to commence in 2015, but development was postponed following the decline in global uranium prices after the 2011 Japanese nuclear disaster. Despite years of delays, Niger had indicated that the license would expire on June 19 unless work at the site resumed.
Orano stated that the junta’s decision came “despite the resumption of activities on site, pursuant to the expectations they had expressed.” A letter dated June 20 from the Nigerien mining ministry, seen by the Associated Press, indicated that Orano’s exploitation plan “did not meet our expectations.” Consequently, the mine has been “returned to the public domain” and freed from all contractual obligations, the letter noted.
Since taking power, the junta has progressively distanced itself from France, expelling the French ambassador and, in December, ordering the withdrawal of French troops stationed in the country to combat Islamist militants. Concurrently, the junta has been fostering closer relations with Russia.
Orano, which has operated in Niger for over 50 years, expressed its willingness to maintain open communication channels with the military authorities. However, it also stated that it reserves the right to pursue legal action against the license withdrawal in either national or international courts.
