bad! Here a new threat of war has arisen, dragging the Western powers

Jakarta, Klinik Farma – The geopolitical situation in West Africa after the coup that took place in Niger continues to heat up. More recently, it was reported that two of Niger’s neighboring countries held military mobilizations near the country.

Niger’s National Council for the Defense of the Homeland (CNSP) said on Monday (07/08/2023) that two unspecified Central African countries have begun initial troop movements. They fear that the move would amount to a military intervention in Niger.

“Initial troop deployments to participate in (Niger) have begun in two Central African countries,” CNSP said in a statement. Mayadin.

So far, there has been no outside military intervention in Niger since the coup that succeeded in arresting and overthrowing President Mohammad Bazum and appointing General Abdurrahman Chiani as leader of the junta. However, the Western-backed ECOWAS regional bloc called for Bazum’s release.

ECOWAS has given the signal to deploy its troops if its pleas are not heard. Moreover, negotiations between them also could not take place after the ECOWAS team was not allowed to enter the capital or meet Chiani.

Niger itself reacted to this by asking the Russian Wagner paramilitaries to defend Chiani’s regime. The request came during a visit by one of Niger’s military elite, General Salifu Modi, to neighboring Mali to make contact with someone from Wagner.

“They need (Wagner) because they will be their guarantee of holding on to power,” Wassim Nasr, a journalist and senior fellow at the Soufan Center, told The Associated Press.

Tensions between them have also become a new problem. Former Supreme Allied Commander Europe James Stavridis warned that the conflict in Niger could lead to a “all-out war in Africa.”

“Will this lead to a full-scale war in Africa? It definitely has potential and it will be a significant and disruptive event,” he tweeted.

Niger was a French colony for over 50 years before becoming independent in 1960. The country is known for its natural and mineral resources.

According to the World Nuclear Association (WNA), Niger ranks seventh in the world in terms of uranium mining. The WNA also confirmed that Niger will produce 2020 tons of uranium by 2022, which would be considered more than 4% of the world’s uranium production.

Despite independence, many Nigerians believe that France, patroness of the West, continues to act as an imperial power and plunder its natural resources.

At present, uranium mining in Niger is carried out mainly through the majority French company Orano, which owns 63.4% of Société des Mines de l’Aïr (SOMAÏR). The remaining 36.66% is owned by the Société du Patrimoine des Mines du Niger, known as Sopamin.

“On the other hand, Niger is the fourth richest country in the world in terms of uranium resources. The French nuclear company AREVA has held the rights to process uranium resources in Niger for more than 50 years. For this reason, both France and the United States attach great importance to Niger, ”added Hurie Yildirim Chinar, an expert at the Turkish think tank TASAM, specializing in sub-Saharan Africa.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]