Ouagadougou
– France established a vast empire in Africa that began in the middle of the 16th century until it completed control of almost half of the continent after the Berlin Conference in 1885, which divided the brown continent into reserves. military in Africa.
But with the passage of time, the French bases on the continent shrank to only 7 bases, while the French presence there began to fade little by little until it is now completely threatened in light of the current French policy that led to the exit of many African countries from the French mantle.
France had 100 military bases in Africa in the middle of the twentieth century (French)
What is the nature of the French presence in Africa?
France left its colonies in 1960, but it maintained strong relations with its former colonies in Africa, deliberately linking the newly independent countries with deep cooperative policies economically, culturally and militarily, in order to maintain an influential role for them in the future of these countries, but the 14 West African countries - which constitute the majority - remained The ECOWAS group of countries is linked to France in particular, and in general French influence is concentrated in Africa in the north and west of the continent, in the east in Djibouti, and in the southeast in the Comoros and Madagascar, with varying levels, quality and concentration of influence.
Where is the French presence concentrated in Africa and how?
The active French influence is concentrated in West Africa, as France imposed agreements linking the economies of these countries to the French economy and still pays the colonial tax, and pumps 85% of its foreign monetary reserves into the French Central Bank, and it can only obtain 15% of it if it needs to. Africa thus pumps the equivalent of 500 billion dollars annually, and upon withdrawal it is dealt with at commercial prices.
France has military cooperation agreements with 25 African countries and until recently had about 7 military bases of varying size in Chad, Central Africa, Cameroon, Djibouti, Comoros, Senegal and Gabon, which have begun to shrink in recent years due to the rejection of its policies in Africa.
What countries cut ties with France and what are the reasons?
French policy in Africa has witnessed a significant decline since the end of the era of former French President Jacques Chirac, as a result of a number of factors, most notably the dominance of the exploitative spirit, the French arrogance over Africans, and the repetition of the same colonial policies, which prompted African countries to search for alternatives and dispense with France to the point of severing relations. Diplomacy with it is as follows:
Central Africa: It severed its relations with France in 2021, following mutual accusations between the two countries of systematic campaigns.
Mali: Since the coup led by Asimi Guetta, its relations with France began to deteriorate until it was announced that they would be severed completely in 2022.
Burkina Faso: It requested the replacement of the French ambassador in Ouagadougou before requesting that the French forces leave its lands within a month on January 19.
What are the reasons for the deterioration of relations between France and African countries?
There are many reasons that pushed - and could push - other African countries to take the same path in dealing with France, but they can be summarized as follows:
The failure of the French policy and its continuation with the same arrogant colonial self in Africa and its refusal to apologize for its previous mistakes, and thus the weakness of its credit and the termination of the remaining trust.
The failure of France on its own - or with the help of European countries - to address the dangers of the spread of Islamic groups in the countries of the Sahel and Sahara.
The expansion of the operations of the armed organizations after the French interventions and the reproduction and spread of groups in a new number of African countries, which prompted questions of the feasibility of the presence of foreign forces to the fore.
The emergence of a new, largely liberal African generation that views France only as a colonizer that does not place the interests of Africans on the list of concerns, which prompted them to search for partners who have no colonial precedents in Africa.
The deterioration of the security, political and economic conditions of the African peoples after the Corona pandemic and its exacerbation after the Russian war in Ukraine, with the blockage of prospects for practical solutions that guarantee stability in all fields.
Is Sino-Russian competition the main challenge for France?
Despite the statements of French presidents - from Francois Hollande to current President Emmanuel Macron - of the need to review French policy in Africa, the reality imposed new elements of competition with the entry of China and Russia into the line of competition.
For its part, China follows a policy of non-interference in internal affairs, with a focus on the economy, infrastructure and soft loans. It found acceptance in Africa and became the largest economic partner in a short time, surpassing the United States and European partners, and China's investments are expected to rise to $500 billion. Almost in 2025, this is in addition to the unconditional aid that supports local funds in Africa.
As for Russia, despite its late return to Africa, it occupied an advanced position in partnerships with African countries, and became a strong competitor at the expense of the areas in which France and other countries were expanding, and it advanced in a number of areas:
Russia exempted a number of African countries from 20 billion dollars of outstanding debts, as it was a gesture of goodwill and a token of friendship.
Russia has become - in a short time - the largest exporter of arms to Africa, which meets its needs in facing chronic African conflicts and on easy terms (Russia was the source of 50% of the arms imported to Africa in 2020).
Russia provides training to African armies through the "Wagner" company, which is active in a number of areas, including providing protection for institutions, individuals and investments.
Russian propaganda - through Sputnik and Russia Today - played an important role in weakening France's image in front of public opinion in Africa, and Paris has repeatedly complained of black propaganda against it.
So what awaits France?
And on the line of discontent of a number of African peoples not far from Mali, Central Africa and Burkina Faso, there is Chad in which the demonstrations took place and Niger to which the armies that France evacuated from Mali and Central Africa moved to, so French policy is at the juncture of testing, and if there is time left that France should deal with its policies or lose African strategic stocks perhaps forever.