1000 tons of uranium across Africa to Russia makes France angry

The French newspaper Le Monde reported that Niger's plan to sell thousands of tons of uranium to Russia is causing France to worry because the process of transporting this extremely dangerous cargo.

According to the French publication, the Niger government has signed an agreement with the Russian state corporation Rosatom to sell 1,000 tons of uranium concentrate, also known as “yellowcake”, for about $170 million.

Concentrated uranium is known as "yellowcake" and is coveted by every nuclear power.

According to the source, the uranium reserves were stored at the Arlit mine, formerly operated by the French company Orano, but after the military coup in Niger in 2023, the French company was forced to stop operations, leaving behind about 1,400 tons of concentrated uranium.

Currently, according to sources of Le Monde newspaper, this uranium reserve will be exported to Russia and from now on, the parties have begun to prepare for the transportation of this uranium shipment.

Accordingly, a convoy of about 30 trucks is expected to travel from Niger through Burkina Faso to the port of Lomé in Togo, from where the goods are expected to be transported by sea to Russia at the end of November. The overland journey through three African countries will have a total length of no less than 2,000 km.

French interests are under great threat after Russia replaced its influence in the Central African country.

French intelligence agencies have expressed serious concerns about the security of this route, as the shipment will pass through areas where armed groups linked to the international terrorist organization al-Qaeda and the terrorist organization “Islamic State” (IS) operate.

A senior French intelligence official noted that such an operation "creates significant risks from both a security and geopolitical perspective".

The Paris government also sees a threat to its interests in the region, as Niger has long been a major supplier of uranium for France's nuclear energy industry.

After the military government came to power, relations between the two countries deteriorated severely, the French Army withdrew from Niamey and the military government in Niamey established close relations with Moscow.

Le Monde

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https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/11/07/the-possible-sale-of-1-000-metric-tons-of-nigerien-uranium-to-russia-is-alarming-france_6747206_4.html

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