Latest news with #Nigerien
See - Sada Elbalad
a day ago
- Politics
- See - Sada Elbalad
Niger Accuses France of Destabilizing Sahel Region
Israa Farhan Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tiani has accused France and other Western powers of orchestrating indirect efforts to destabilize the Sahel Confederation through covert intelligence operations and the support of armed groups. Speaking in a four-hour televised interview with national broadcaster RTN, President Tiani claimed that a broad international conspiracy is at play. He alleged the involvement of foreign intelligence agencies, international actors, and neighboring states in an attempt to undermine the emerging Sahel Confederation, which includes Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. Tiani identified two alleged French intelligence units operating in the region. The first, he claimed, was established following the July 26, 2023 coup and is led by Jean-Marie Bockel, French President Emmanuel Macron's special envoy to Africa. This unit reportedly includes French military officers and aims to prevent the spread of the Sahelian political movement and to preserve France's military presence in the region. The second, dubbed the 'Élysée Sahel Cell,' was reportedly launched in September 2024 under the supervision of Christophe Guyot. According to Tiani, this unit consists of French foreign intelligence personnel, diplomats, and officials from the International Organization of La Francophonie. He named Jérémy Robert as the operational leader of the cell, which he accused of having "unlimited financial resources" dedicated to destabilizing the Sahel Confederation. The Nigerien president further alleged that a strategy of "terrorist resettlement" is being pursued in the border areas shared with Mali and Burkina Faso, supported by the redeployment of fighters from the Lake Chad basin. He accused Benin of allowing these armed groups to settle in its northern territories, a region he described as being under 'direct French influence.' Tiani also revealed the existence of a high-level meeting on 15 March 2025, which he claims brought together representatives of Western powers and armed groups such as Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP). The aim of this alleged gathering, he said, was to launch an indirect war against the Sahelian states, beginning with Niger. Additionally, the president accused Nigeria of providing refuge and logistical support to French forces expelled from Niger. He pointed to two meetings held in Abuja on 25 January and 3 February 2025 as key moments in the coordination of what he described as a broader destabilization campaign. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks
Business Insider
24-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Junta-led Niger plans to reduce Chinese oil workforce
Niger's junta-led government has requested the departure of several Chinese nationals working on oil projects, a move expected to impact dozens of employees and further strain relations with Beijing. Oil Minister Sahabi Oumarou instructed the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and its joint venture refinery, SORAZ, to terminate contracts of expatriate employees who have been in the country for over four years, Reuters reported. In a letter dated May 21 to SORAZ, Oumarou signalled some flexibility, noting that exceptions could be made depending on the importance of specific staff. Departure decisions, he said, would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. However, in an earlier letter to CNPC dated May 20, Oumarou declined a request for a private meeting with the company's CEO and accused CNPC of not complying with local laws. This follows a March decision by Niger's military government to expel three senior Chinese executives from the country's oil sector. The officials, who held key roles at CNPC, the West African Oil Pipeline Company (WAPCo), and the SORAZ refinery, were removed amid tensions over wage gaps between foreign staff and their lower-paid local counterparts. Since the expulsions, CNPC has been seeking to open dialogue with Nigerien authorities, but tensions remain high. West African militaries assert resource sovereignty Military-led governments across West Africa are increasingly asserting control over their natural resources in a bid to boost local employment and claim a greater share of resource profits. In Niger, the junta has taken several bold steps since seizing power, including scrapping military cooperation agreements with the U.S. and France and taking control of the Somair uranium mine previously operated by French nuclear company Orano. Similar developments have unfolded in neighbouring Mali and Burkina Faso, where military regimes have turned to legal and regulatory tools to consolidate power over valuable commodities like gold.
Daily Maverick
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
Mali's transition at risk as political class fights back against dissolution of parties
Political party bans by military authorities in Burkina Faso and Niger have met little resistance, but in Mali they ignited defiance. On 13 May 2025, Mali's military transitional authority decreed the dissolution of political parties. Although most of the country's nearly 300 parties were not functional, this is a major setback for Mali's prospects of remaining a multiparty democracy. It is also a notable turning point in the transition that started five years ago, when a double military coup led by Mali's current leader Assimi Goïta toppled the government. By closing down the democratic space, the military authorities risk worsening insecurity in the country, which already faces persistent jihadism and a recurrent rebellion in the north. However, the country's political parties are fighting back. Whether this will make a difference in a region dominated by juntas remains to be seen. The decision follows April's national 'consultations' aimed at revising the Charter of Political Parties – a process that most of the political class boycotted. The consultations recommended not only that political parties be dissolved, but a revision of the country's Transition Charter to give Goïta the presidency for a renewable five-year term beginning in 2025. That last recommendation was not among the subjects officially addressed during the consultations. However, participants emphasised the need for Mali to align its governance framework with Niger and Burkina Faso, its allies in the Alliance of Sahel States Confederation. All three central Sahel countries are governed by military regimes, and have strengthened ties since their January withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States. Niger's General Abdourahamane Tchiani was sworn in as president for a renewable five-year term on 26 March, in line with recommendations made during national meetings in February. The Nigerien authorities also closed down political parties, acting on the outcomes of these meetings. Similarly, in Burkina Faso, consultations led to Captain Ibrahim Traoré being declared president of the country for a five-year term. Political party activities were suspended soon after the September 2022 coup, a decision that remains in effect. In an international environment where the multilateralism system is in crisis and the levers for democratic pressure are weakened, the banning of political parties has met little resistance in Burkina Faso and Niger. In Mali however, the political class is standing up to the authorities. When Mali's authorities adopted a bill on 30 April repealing laws governing political parties and the opposition, political parties held street protests against the bill. Then on 3 and 4 May, they rallied hundreds of supporters in the capital Bamako, demanding a return to constitutional order by 31 December. The gatherings were disrupted by groups claiming to support the government, and by police who cited the risk of clashes breaking out. Political parties again called for protests on 9 May, but on 7 May the authorities suspended all their activities and those of associations 'until further notice' – and so the planned demonstrations were postponed. This public defiance is the first of its kind since Mali's military authorities took hold in August 2020. While it may not significantly shift the balance of power away from the current leadership, the political class is clearly positioning itself as a force that cannot be ignored in shaping the transition. The protests aimed to defend the existence of political parties. But perhaps more profoundly, they showed a determination to protect the democratic gains secured through bloodshed in the 1991 March Revolution that ended 23 years of dictatorship under Moussa Traoré. Stirring this potent symbol in Mali's collective political consciousness could unite the elders who fought against Traoré's dictatorship with young people who grew up under democracy. That could mobilise an opposition movement extending beyond the political class, fuelling public protests and heightening concerns over Mali's democratic transition. This is all the more likely given that after five years of governance, the population is divided on the performance of the military authorities – who have not resolved the country's many economic and social challenges. Since 2023, persistent power outages have further weakened industrial output and disrupted informal economic activities, which serve as the primary source of income for many families. Costly spending on military equipment and security needs also drains the country's economy. To deal with its financial troubles, government measures include widely unpopular new taxes on telephone calls and mobile money transfers. These challenges fuel public discontent and could revive popular interest in political parties. In such a context, repressive measures by the authorities could backfire, strengthening support for the very opposition parties they aim to neutralise. Political instability would further complicate the government's challenges. Rather than restricting the political space, it should consider dialogue with all political forces. This is in line with the government's intention, from the outset, to draw up a new legislative framework that better organises and regulates the political sector. Aligned with this objective, the authorities should involve all political actors in a dialogue process that drafts a new Charter of Political Parties and produces an electoral agenda for ending the transition. With Mali's membership of the African Union (AU) suspended following the coups, the AU's potential role in resolving the tensions is not straightforward. Nevertheless, diplomatic solutions must be found. For example, article 25, paragraph 3 of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance gives the AU a responsibility to help any nation transition towards restoring democracy. This enables the continental body to offer support to Malian authorities and the political class in facilitating dialogue or appointing a facilitator acceptable to all parties. The AU could leverage its Africa Facility to Support Inclusive Transitions, a platform developed in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme to promote inclusive dialogue among key players and provide technical and financial assistance. DM
14-05-2025
- Business
A French mining company sues Niger after its director disappears and offices are raided
DAKAR, Senegal -- French uranium mining company Orano has sued the government of Niger after the disappearance of its director and the raiding of its local offices, as military authorities in the west African country tighten their grip on foreign companies and civil society. 'Orano deplores this intervention, for which no legal basis nor reason has been offered," Orano said in a statement late Tuesday, accusing authorities of arbitrary arrest, illegal detention and 'unjust confiscation of the property of Nigerien companies, subsidiaries of Orano and the State of Niger itself.' The company's director was reportedly detained earlier this month. The company says the raids in Niamey, the capital, seized staff's electronic devices and cellphones. Niger's military authorities did not respond to a request for comment. Orano has been operating in Niger, the world's seventh biggest supplier of uranium, for over 50 years, and holds majority shares in three main uranium mines in Niger. Only one of the mines, near the town of Arlit, is currently operational. Last year military authorities withdrew the company's operating permit for the Imouraren uranium mine, with reserves estimated at 200,000 tons. The authorities also took operational control of Orano's subsidiary, Somaïr, which operates the only active mine. The military authorities seized power in 2023 with a pledge to cut ties with the West and review mining concessions. Before that, Niger was the West's major economic and security partner in the Sahel, the vast region south of the Sahara Desert that has been a hot spot for violent extremism. Also Wednesday, the founder and director of the private Sahara FM radio station, Ibrahim Manzo, said that authorities had arrested three of its staff members in the central city of Agadez and accused them of spreading fake news.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A French mining company sues Niger after its director disappears and offices are raided
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — French uranium mining company Orano has sued the government of Niger after the disappearance of its director and the raiding of its local offices, as military authorities in the west African country tighten their grip on foreign companies and civil society. 'Orano deplores this intervention, for which no legal basis nor reason has been offered," Orano said in a statement late Tuesday, accusing authorities of arbitrary arrest, illegal detention and 'unjust confiscation of the property of Nigerien companies, subsidiaries of Orano and the State of Niger itself.' The company's director was reportedly detained earlier this month. The company says the raids in Niamey, the capital, seized staff's electronic devices and cellphones. Niger's military authorities did not respond to a request for comment. Orano has been operating in Niger — the world's seventh biggest supplier of uranium — for over 50 years, but last year the military authorities withdrew the company's operating permit for the Imouraren uranium mine, with reserves estimated at 200,000 tons. The authorities also took operational control of Orano's subsidiary, Somaïr, which operates the only active uranium mine in the country near the town of Arlit. The military authorities seized power in 2023 on the pledge of cutting ties with the West and vowed to review mining concessions. Before that, Niger was the West's major economic and security partner in the Sahel, the vast region south of the Sahara Desert that has been a hot spot for violent extremism. In other developments, the founder and director of the private Sahara FM radio station, Ibrahim Manzo, said Wednesday that authorities had arrested three of its staff members in the central city of Agadez and accused them of spreading fake news. Although Niger's transitional authorities recently released political prisoners in an attempt to calm the political climate, such arrests continue.
