The nuclear industry’s most famous salesman, French President Nicholas Sarkozy (where does he find the time to do anything else?), has once again been singing the praises of nuclear energy and its miraculous powers to do almost anything. On this occasion, it’s the ability to solve world poverty….

Speaking at the International Conference on Access to Nuclear Energy in Paris today, Sarkozy said that solutions to future energy needs would not be found in no-growth theories. Such policies were selfish and would force the poorest people of the world to stay in their current situation and 'would close the door' on have-nots. France is deeply convinced that nuclear power is the key to more equitably sharing wealth on the planet.

It’s a piece of breathtaking hypocrisy from the President. Let us, for example, look to Niger in Western Africa. The country provides 40-45 per cent of the uranium needed to fuel French nuclear reactors. French companies have been mining uranium in Niger since 1971. In 2008 uranium mining generated 260 million euros in revenue for French nuclear corporation AREVA.

So how are things in Niger after 40 years of French mining? Has nuclear power been ‘the key to more equitably sharing wealth’ in Niger?

In short: No.

Niger is firmly rooted to the bottom of the United Nation’s Human Development Index which ‘provides a composite measure of three dimensions of human development: living a long and healthy life, being educated and having a decent standard of living’. Eleven out of every hundred babies born in Niger die before their first birthday.

The nuclear industry has brought contamination to the people of Niger and left poverty in its wake. Where is the concern from the French government about their plight? French uranium mining did not pause for one second during or after the military coup which took place last month.

President Sarkozy seems to have a highly selective eye when it comes to the ‘have-nots’ of the world. Those have-nots who might buy his country’s reactors are worthy of attention whereas those have-nots who merely help fuel those reactors can be safely ignored. Niger is another of the nuclear industry’s dirty little secrets. Don’t expect to see it featured in any flashy PR videos or glossy brochures.

So let’s take Sarkozy’s words and frame them in a more honest way: French nuclear policies are selfish and force the poorest people of the world to stay in their current situation and do 'close the door' on have-nots.