How a uranium mine became a pawn in the row between Niger and France
In the latest sign of a dramatic deterioration in relations, Niger's military rulers appear increasingly determined to drive France out of any significant sector in their economy - and particularly uranium mining.
This week the French state nuclear company Orano announced that the junta - which deposed France's ally, President Mohamed Bazoum, in a coup in July 2023 - had taken operational control of its local mining firm, Somaïr.
The company's efforts to resume exports have for months been blocked by the regime and it is being pushed into financial crisis.
And the impact could be felt more widely - although Niger accounts for less than 5% of the uranium produced globally, in 2022 it accounted for a quarter of the supply to nuclear power plants across Europe.
So the timing...