Turkey seeks to acquire Niger’s uranium assets after Russia
Kyiv • UNN
Turkey has set its sights on Niger’s uranium deposits after canceling the rights of French and Canadian companies. This comes amid Russia’s growing presence in Africa through nuclear agreements with several countries.
Turkey, following Russia, has been actively targeting uranium assets in Africa. Russia has recently signed a nuclear deal with Congo, and Turkey is reportedly seeking to acquire some of Niger’s uranium assets to support its nuclear power industry. NAP writes about this, UNN reports .
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The state-owned Rosatom has strengthened its presence in the region by signing several nuclear deals across Africa. They focused on the development of nuclear and hydropower in countries such as Congo-Brazzaville and the Republic of Guinea. In this context, a memorandum was signed with Algeria focused on the development of nuclear technologies in medicine and research reactors.
Meanwhile, Turkish ministers traveled to Niger last week to secure access to uranium deposits. The visit came after Niger canceled mining rights from French and Canadian companies. Turkish President Erdogan supported the decision, seeking to strengthen his country’s influence in Africa and protect Niger from historical oppression by the West.
Turkey’s efforts to acquire uranium assets coincide with Russia’s interests in the region. Niger is a major global supplier of uranium, providing about 5% of the world’s resources, making it a key player in the global nuclear fuel market.