At the UN, Lamine Zeine accuses Paris and Kyiv of supporting groups poised to attack Niger

Niger’s Prime Minister, Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine, accused France and Ukraine on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the UN General Assembly of supporting armed groups that he claims are preparing to strike military positions and oil facilities in northeastern Niger.

The government leader described these groups as armed “proxies” guided by foreign powers. He did not publicly detail their identities or the basis for the imminent threat he mentioned. His claims regarding French and Ukrainian support have not been independently verified.

Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine linked these accusations to what he describes as a process of “recolonization” of the Sahel, driven by Niger’s uranium, Mali’s and Burkina Faso’s gold, as well as lithium, gas, and oil. He directly implicated Paris and Kyiv in the destabilization of the central Sahel.

In contrast to these charges, the Prime Minister assured that Niger is not seeking confrontation with any country. He expressed openness to security cooperation based on reciprocity, respect for sovereignty, and the strategic interests of Niamey.

The Nigerien leader also defended the Sahel States Alliance as an “irreversible” process. According to him, the unified force of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso consists of 5,000 personnel and can mobilize up to 15,000 across the three territories.