France, Mali and Uranium

Two or three thousand kilometres away from the deserts and villages of Mali, (where high tech French Mirage 2000 jet-fighters bomb and French special forces invade), electricity is big business in France. This colonial European country, derives around 75% of it energy from nuclear power.[1] And nuclear power generation requires Uranium.

The boundaries of this new African war are not just limited to Mali. French special forces have also been deployed in Niger, to protect the multi-billion dollar French energy giant Areva's Uranium mines.[2]

It is believed that this region covering Northern Mali and Eastern Niger, contains the world's third largest Uranium reserves. Many countries are scrambling for this energy resource, even after the un-contained nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan, and the previous Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Uranium is also an important component for nuclear weapon proliferation. 18% of France's Uranium comes from Areva's Imouraren and Arlit mines in Niger. These resources are located in the nomadic Tuarug homeland areas which cover parts of Mali, Niger and Libya. The French military intervention could possibly been planned to exploit the socio-political instability of the region, to the detriment of ordinary citizens.

The French-led Mali War has led to war crimes being committed, including murder, cruel treatment and torture, directed attacks against protected objects, summary executions and rape.[3]

Put simply, this episode of death, displacement and insecurity is directly linked to Uranium and France's thirst for resources at any cost. 

[1]World Nuclear Association

[2]Reuters

[3]News24