Russia’s Energy Minister Meets Niger’s President, Signs Nuclear Cooperation Deal

The Russian Minister of Energy, Sergei Tsivilev, has signed a memorandum of cooperation with Niger in the fields of civil nuclear energy and uranium mining during an official visit to Niamey on Monday.

The agreement was formalised following a meeting between Minister Tsivilev and the Nigerien head of state, General Abdourahamane Tchiani. Tsivilev led a high-level Russian delegation comprising government officials and representatives from major Russian companies.

Describing the accord as a foundation for “cooperation based on mutual trust and shared respect,” Tsivilev said the memorandum will open new avenues for collaboration in strategic sectors.

Among the key elements of the agreement are provisions for the training of Nigerien professionals in Russia, particularly in the areas of energy, agriculture, health, and education. The initiative also includes support for the education of Nigerien engineers at Russian institutions.

As chair of the joint intergovernmental commission between Russia and countries of the Economic and Social Area (ESA), Tsivilev emphasised the importance of long-term partnership and capacity-building.

General Tchiani, highlighting the strategic nature of the agreement, announced that Niger will soon appoint a co-president for the bilateral commission to ensure continuous dialogue and effective implementation of joint projects.

Our task is not to participate alone in the extraction of uranium, but also to create a system for the extraction of the pacific atom in Niger. This includes the construction of electrical generation so that it is accessible to every inhabitant of the country, as well as cooperation in the nuclear medicine field. We also agree with the capacity of a group of specialists in this area, Tsiviliev said.

In July, the Prime Minister of Russia, Mijaíl Mishustin, appointed Sergey Tsiviliev, Minister of Energy, as President of the Russian-Malian intergovernmental commission for commercial, economic and scientific cooperation.

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