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EDIT: no posts in the thread for 3 months, and then someone ninjas me just as I was writing one. Since the coup last week, France has begun evacuating its citizens from Niger and has cut off aid. Niger is responding by banning Uranium exports to France. I agree that military govts in Burkino Faso, Mali and Guinea seem emboldened by the collapse of French neoimperial influence in the region in recent years, and with the public traction appeals to anti-French/Western sentiment are getting. I wouldn't exactly call them nice people themselves though. They are coming out very vocally over the prospect of any ECOWAS action against the new Nigerien regime, declaring that "military intervention against Niger will be considered equivalent to a declaration of war against Burkina Faso and Mali". Here's hoping things don't deteriorate even further. 
Tigey fucked around with this message at 18:57 on Aug 1, 2023 |
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Aug 1, 2023 18:55
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On a slightly more fun note, there also seems to be some excitement in Burkino Faso, with President Traoré getting a heroes reception on returning from the Russia-Africa Summit. Some useful idiots have also been posting copy-pasted claims that Burkino Faso has also banned Uranium exports to France and the US. https://twitter.com/jacksonhinklle/status/1686125766340132867 Unlike major Uranium producer Niger, Burkino Faso has no Uranium reserves, mines or exports...
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Aug 1, 2023 18:55
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France is obviously unhappy about its dramatic loss of influence in the region in recent years (my heart bleeds for them), but like Owling Howl says, without there being a public pretext like a genocide (well, one that captures public attention) my guess is they will swallow it, albeit making a lot of noise and threats in the short term. The mood in the country and region is very anti-French right now and them intervening would be massively inflammatory and draw in other countries. I don't see any real upsides for France. I suspect that Uranium exports will probably resume after a while (I think this is the first time they have ever been cut off?), as its such a major source of revenue for Niger that they can't afford to do without.
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Aug 3, 2023 12:01
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I know that rising inflation, the ongoing islamist insurgencies, etc, are probably bigger factors, but I do wonder whether the drawn out demise of the West Africa CFA Franc has anything to do with the what's happened in Burkina Faso, Mali and now Niger. I mean its still in use (no sign of the long awaited Eco yet, and I'd be surprised if Nigeria ever adopts it), but the countries still using it are no longer required to hold half their foreign reserves in the French Treasury (  ) any more. Its a lot easier to throw off the French yolk when they're not holding half your money hostage
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Aug 3, 2023 16:29
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