3 chapters across the catalog
The military leaders of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso signed a mutual defense pact to assist one another against terrorism and external intervention. The discussion contextualizes these coups within the history of the 1884 Berlin Conference and the ongoing struggle for Africa's mineral resources.
African Geopolitics and US Drone Base in Niger
Conflict spreads across Africa as Ethiopia declares a state of emergency and war crimes are reported in Sudan. The U.S. faces a strategic setback in Niger, where it operates a major drone base for counter-terrorism operations against Al-Qaeda, as the local population sours on Western military presence.
Antony Blinken became the first U.S. Secretary of State to visit Niger, focusing on security in the Sahel and countering the influence of the Wagner Group. The region is home to massive uranium reserves, and the French company Orano is relaunching a major mining project using In-Situ Recovery (ISR) technology. Concerns are raised about the environmental impact of using chemicals to dissolve uranium underground.
