Niger has accused foreign powers of seeking to regain influence over the Sahel, describing what it called a modern form of “recolonization” driven in part by competition over the region’s natural resources.
Speaking at the 81st UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine said the Sahel’s instability cannot be explained solely by terrorism or internal conflicts, arguing that external interests are also contributing to the region’s insecurity.
He pointed to the Sahel’s uranium, gold, lithium, oil and gas, saying control of these resources remains a major source of international competition.
Niger specifically accused France and Ukraine of supporting destabilisation efforts in the region, allegations presented by Niamey as evidence of wider foreign interference.
Zeine said Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso are seeking greater control over their resources and political choices through the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), rejecting what he described as continued colonial and neo-colonial influence.
He said the region’s future must ultimately be decided by Sahelians themselves, with its natural wealth serving their populations rather than outside interests.
