The U.S. Development Finance Corporation has approved up to $414 million in financing for Canadian firm Global Atomic’s Dasa uranium project in Niger, Africa's highest-grade uranium deposit. The deal comes two years after the U.S. withdrew troops from Niger following a 2023 military coup that saw the country pivot toward Russia for security and dispute ties with French state miner Orano. Urged by U.S. Ambassador Kathleen FitzGibbon under a renewed Trump administration focus on African deal-making, the investment aims to secure strategic uranium resources—recently added to the U.S. critical minerals list—before rival powers step in. Despite potential security risks highlighted by a recent mutiny attempt in Niamey, the project marks a strategic energy move and a rare point of cooperation between the U.S. and Canada amidst ongoing trade friction.