Sep 30, 2025

Niger: Arbitration Tribunal Sides With Orano on Uranium Stock, Escalating Niger Dispute$

Analysis by The North Africa Journal

An international tribunal has ruled Niger must stop selling or transferring uranium produced by Somaïr, as French firm Orano claims rights to stockpiled material after the mine’s nationalization. The September 23 ICSID order temporarily freezes the disputed uranium assets until the legal case is resolved.

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Premium Contents

Libya: Turkey is Here to Stay, Abandons Exit Strategy$

by The North Africa Journal | Jan 5, 2026 | International, Briefs, 111, Libya, 1PREMIUM, Politics, 1shorts, Maghreb, International politics, Politics, Security, politics upfront, Shield and Alert: Maghreb

Turkey’s parliament has approved a 24-month extension of its military deployment in Libya through early 2028, marking a shift from emergency intervention to formalized long-term strategic positioning. The extension reflects calculated power projection rather than crisis response, with Turkey consolidating assets at Al-Watiya airbase to secure leverage across Eastern Mediterranean maritime disputes, energy corridors, and regional competition dynamics. The mandate complicates the stalled 5+5 withdrawal process by providing diplomatic cover for other foreign actors to maintain their presence, creating a reinforcing cycle where each deployment justifies the others and transforms temporary stabilization into indefinite strategic competition by proxy.

Nigeria: Questions Mount Over U.S. Airstrikes in Northern Nigeria$

by The North Africa Journal | Jan 4, 2026 | Nigeria, Sahel, Security, Shield and Alert: Nigeria, Security, International, International News, 1PREMIUM, Briefs, Nigeria, Politics, Africa

The U.S. airstrikes carried out in northern Nigeria on Christmas Day have triggered confusion and skepticism across the region. Conflicting statements from Washington and Abuja, uncertainty over the identity of the targeted groups, and reports from strike locations where no militants were found have raised serious questions about the operation’s objectives. In an already fragile security environment, the lack of clarity risks adding instability rather than addressing Nigeria’s complex security challenges.

Tunisia: Leading Labor Union in Turmoil$

by The North Africa Journal | Jan 4, 2026 | S&A Retired, Shield and Alert: Maghreb, Labor, 111, Briefs, Labor, Politics, 1PREMIUM, Social & Human Affairs, Tunisia, 1shorts, Maghreb, Politics

Tunisia’s historic labor union, the UGTT, is facing one of the most serious internal crises in its modern history. Deep divisions within the leadership, questions over legitimacy, and mounting pressure from President Kaïs Saïed have pushed the organization into open turmoil. The possible resignation of Secretary General Noureddine Tabboubi comes as the state moves to strip the union of its traditional role in wage negotiations and social dialogue, signaling a broader effort to marginalize independent labor power. As internal factions clash over leadership, strategy, and the timing of a general strike, the future role of the UGTT as a counterweight in Tunisian political life is increasingly uncertain.

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