Niger civil society questions EU over uranium exploitation
Arlit civil society group demands answers on environmental and social impacts of 50 years of Orano's uranium mining.
The Civil Society Coordination of Arlit on Sunday, November 8, 2026, strongly reacted to European Union statements regarding military cooperation between Niger and Algeria. The group denounced what it called interference in the affairs of sovereign states. They also called on European partners to address the environmental, health, economic, and social consequences of over 50 years of uranium exploitation by French group Orano.
This intervention follows controversy over remarks attributed to the EU's foreign affairs spokesperson, Anouar El Anouni, concerning Algerian military presence in Niger. The Arlit coordination finds these questions difficult to understand for an agreement between two neighboring African countries. They affirmed Niger and Algeria's sovereign right to define their military cooperation based on their interests and international commitments.
Beyond diplomacy, the group highlighted the legacy of uranium mining in Arlit and Akokan, criticizing France for not sufficiently addressing the impacts of decades of mining on local populations and the environment. Since the early 1970s, companies linked to Orano, formerly Areva, have exploited uranium, contributing to global supply but leaving a significant environmental burden and raising questions about economic benefit distribution.
Why it mattersNigeriens in Arlit are directly affected by the environmental, health, economic, and social consequences of over 50 years of uranium exploitation.