By Dayo Dare
After over 100 years of colonization, France is beginning to lose its influence in Africa, as more than 70% of African countries have now severed ties with the former colonial power.
The once-dominant overseer of the Francophone nations in West Africa seems to be gasping its last breath. Countries like Ivory Coast, Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Senegal, and others have announced the termination of their long-standing military cooperation with France. Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, once a staunch ally of France, recently announced the closure of France’s major base in Port-Bouët. The military outpost has since been handed over to Ivorian authorities and rechristened Camp Thomas d’Aquin Ouattara.
One of the key triggers of France’s downfall came from a controversial comment made by President Emmanuel Macron. In a recent speech following coups in Niger and Gabon, Macron said on French TV: “If France hadn’t intervened, if our soldiers hadn’t fallen in Africa, if Serval [the military operations against Islamic terrorism] and then Barkhane hadn’t been decided, we wouldn’t be talking about Mali, Burkina Faso, or Niger today.” His remarks, referencing former French colonies, sparked outrage in these countries—many of which are still struggling with poverty, group violence and repeated military coups.
The fallout was swift. On September 1,2023 Niger’s military junta ordered law enforcement to forcibly remove France’s ambassador from the embassy. Tensions escalated further on August 11,2023 when France flew a military jet into Niger from its base in Chad, despite the junta’s closure of Niger’s airspace. As reported by bna IntelliNews, Niger also revoked all military agreements that allowed France to maintain a base of 2,000 peacekeepers in the country.The situation further escalated as crowds reportedly attacked the base, protesting France’s refusal to withdraw.
In Algeria, the relationship between the African country and France has long been complicated, but it took a turn for the worse last year when President Emmanuel Macron publicly supported Morocco’s position over Algeria’s in the long-standing dispute over the Western Sahara region.
The Western Saharan Region remains an ongoing conflict between Morocco and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) SADR. The conflict began in 1973 between the Polisario forces and the Spaniard Colonies but the war was soon handed over to the kingdom of Morocco after the end of colonialism. Now, Morocco is in constant dispute with the Polisario forces and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) for sovereignty over Western Sahara.
This led to more tension between the two countries as earlier this month, Algeria expelled 12 French officials after one of its consular staff was arrested in connection with the kidnapping of Amir DZ, a government critic living in Paris and a high profile influencer with over a million social media followers. President Macron’s office described the move as “unjustified and incomprehensible.” Fortunately, Amir was eventually found and released in a forest. However, Algiers accused French authorities of using the arrest to “humiliate” Algeria and swiftly responded with diplomatic expulsions. In retaliation, France expelled 12 Algerian consular agents and announced plans to recall its ambassadors from Algiers for consultations, adding that Algerian authorities were responsible for “a brutal deterioration in our bilateral relations.”
France has shown itself to be a ruthless master that holds no remorse for its former colonial states. Despite exiting their colonial territories years ago, it has still managed to hold power and sway in key sectors of these nations. Unsurprisingly, these harsh sentiments are also projected towards Anglophones. The French have always fought to claim some English colonial territories during the colonial era, but the refusal of the English left a deep rift between the two mighty nations and has inadvertently affected their former colonial territories.
Following its recent expulsion from some of these territories, France is hoping to form closer ties and mend its fragile position in Africa.
In an attempt to build a “new era,” French President Emmanuel Macron has encouraged French businesses to form partnership-based investment units with neighboring African countries. Despite these lackluster attempts to save face, many are doubtful these new initiatives will work, as the whole world has seen the true nature of France.
This recent diplomatic issue between the former French colonies and their ex-colonial masters has led many to believe that France’s hold on these nations seems to be weakening. At its peak, France’s African empire boasted thousands of troops patrolling the Sahel under the pretext of combating Islamist insurgencies. Now, the so-called “gendarme of Africa” finds itself unceremoniously dismissed, its presence reduced to symbolic remnants of a past no longer welcomed.
