It might seem that events happening on the other side of the world wouldn't keep Europeans up at night. After all, what could the decisions of some relatively unknown African generals mean for businesses on the Old Continent?
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As it turns out, they matter quite a bit. We are talking, of course, about the coups in Black Africa, specifically in Niger and Gabon. In these countries, the military has taken control, and one doesn't need to be an expert to understand that a coup does not bode well for the stability of any nation.
Dependency network
So, something that seems to be happening far from us turns out to be a pebble that could trigger a massive avalanche. Eurointelligence, a think tank based in Brussels, points out that recent coups could affect the quality of supply chains to Europe.
In this particular case, we should pay special attention to Niger, which, like many other African nations, is incredibly rich in natural resources, particularly rare metals and minerals.
It's possible that soon the French, who import a whopping 25% of their total uranium demand from Niger, will feel the impact of the coup in this country.
Key resources
The same goes for Gabon. Eurointelligence highlights in its report that this country is a significant exporter of oil and manganese. Both of these resources are crucial for many industries.
"Manganese is essential for producing various metal alloys, and it is also used in the production of rubber, batteries, and glass. Regarding oil, given the Russian invasion of Ukraine and significant changes in the oil market, Gabon's importance has increased, especially since its oil is of relatively high quality," reads the report.
All of this, of course, could ultimately affect consumers who will bear the final cost of disruptions in supply chains between Africa and Europe.
