President Nicolas Sarkozy and a team of French business executives visited Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger this week, to scout for investment deals.

He called for peace in a country where fighting over mineral riches and also ethnic rivalries fuelled a decade of conflict in central Africa.

Reuters reports his delegation included executives from France Telecom, cement maker Lafarge and Vinci – a public works and transport concessions group which is set to renovate Kinshasa’s airport.

The firms are keen to get contracts to rebuild the country. France’s state-controlled nuclear energy company Areva already signed a uranium mining and prospecting deal.

Niger, a former French colony is experiencing rapid mining development following recovery in uranium price