France wants to replace Niger with Mongolia for uranium
Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh is visiting France to discuss uranium mining and sign deals on energy and telecommunications, the Mongolian government said in a statement.
This follows a visit by President Emmanuel Macron in May to the Asian country, during which the two countries pledged to expand trade ties between Paris and Ulaanbaatar.
Of particular interest are the agreements on the exploitation of Mongolia's rich uranium deposits, which the French nuclear company Orano is trying to exploit in an agreement now under approval in Mongolia and which, evidently, if concluded, will lead to the replacement of Niger as a fuel supplier for European nuclear power plants.
Mongolia has rich uranium deposits so far unexploited in two areas of the central-eastern part of the immense country
Potentially the country has reserves slightly lower than those of Niger, with a population density among the lowest in the world which facilitates intensive mineral exploitation, in the form of open-pit mines
Furthermore, Mongolia is politically an extremely stable state. If anything, the problem derives precisely from the very low population density, which makes it difficult to find the necessary manpower, as well as a climate that is not exactly pleasant and Mediterranean.
A French official told AFP in June that the uranium mining project was estimated at "more than one billion euros" and would "allow the extraction of a significant amount of uranium" to "strengthen strategic autonomy." of France.
The French presidency said in a statement that the two countries will sign agreements on the sidelines of the meeting between their presidents. The talks will be followed by a state dinner at the Elysée Palace on Thursday for around 100 guests.
Macron's office said Paris was eager to strengthen ties with Mongolia, which is surrounded by China and Russia, and give it "the means to benefit from greater strategic sovereignty" in the face of these "two extremely powerful neighbors ”. Which will be a feat precisely by virtue of the country's isolation. However, Ulaanbaatar is also trying to expand its diplomatic relations in order to overcome
The Mongolian head of state's visit will also focus on culture, with Khurelsukh opening an exhibition focusing on his country's founding leader Genghis Khan at the Nantes History Museum, according to his government.
“The significant progress we make this week, building on President Macron's visit to Mongolia in May, will put us in a better position to address shared challenges and support Mongolia's long-term development for decades to come,” he said the Mongolian president. saying in a press release.
The French armed forces began their withdrawal from Niger this week and Paris is looking for alternative mineral resources elsewhere, while the problem of local insurgencies by Islamists and Tuareg populations remains and is very much alive.
Thanks to our Telegram channel you can stay updated on the publication of new Economic Scenarios articles.
The article France wants to replace Niger with Mongolia for uranium comes from Economic Scenarios .
This is a machine translation of a post published on Scenari Economici at the URL https://scenarieconomici.it/la-francia-vuole-sostituire-il-niger-con-la-mongolia-per-luranio/ on Thu, 12 Oct 2023 11:00:14 +0000.