https://en.sputniknews.africa/20230521/frances-africa-policy-not-great-success-nigers-president-mohamed-bazoum-admits-1059391515.html
France's Africa Policy 'Not Great Success,' Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum Admits
France's Africa Policy 'Not Great Success,' Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum Admits
Sputnik Africa
Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum has acknowledged that France's policy in Africa is not very successful, but at the same time defended the French presence in the Sahel region.
2023-05-21T16:58+0200
2023-05-21T16:58+0200
2023-05-21T16:58+0200
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In an interview with Western media, Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum acknowledged that France's policy in Africa is not very successful, but at the same time defended the French presence in the Sahel region.According to the media, Bazoum tried to smooth over internal criticism of his decision to increase the French military presence in Niger, saying that intelligence from Paris had helped Niger a lot in the fight against terrorism.The president also said that institutions in Niger are strengthening, despite the continuing problems associated with instability, poverty, and hunger in some parts of the country. According to Bazoum, there is "no chance" of a possible military coup in the nation.Niger is located in the Sahel region of Africa, one of the more problematic areas on the continent due to terrorist activity and illegal migration.According to Dr. Felix Ndahinda, honorary assistant professor at the University of Rwanda, who earlier gave an interview to Sputnik, France "seeks to be, or seeks to remain, a major player" in Africa, "where growing [international] competition has eroded [French] influence."France's influence in the Sahel substantially decreased after Paris withdrewits soldiers from Mali and Burkina Faso at the request of the local military administrations and against the backdrop of anti-French and pro-Russian demonstrations in the region.The French troops, which were present in Mali and Burkina Faso with the declared goal of combating the terrorism that has plagued the region since 2011, withdrew in 2022 and 2023, respectively.*terrorist organizations banned in Russia and many other countries
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french military, western niger, resulting in, at least, two fatalities, 18 injuries, they protested, french soldiers, put an end, escalating bloodshed, islamist extremists, linked to, al-qaeda, crossed the border, burkina faso, niger's president, mohamed bazoum, has acknowledged, france's policy in africa, is not very successful, french presence, sahel region
french military, western niger, resulting in, at least, two fatalities, 18 injuries, they protested, french soldiers, put an end, escalating bloodshed, islamist extremists, linked to, al-qaeda, crossed the border, burkina faso, niger's president, mohamed bazoum, has acknowledged, france's policy in africa, is not very successful, french presence, sahel region
France's Africa Policy 'Not Great Success,' Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum Admits
On November 27, 2021, protesters and a French military convoy clashed in western Niger, resulting in at least two fatalities and 18 injuries. They were protesting against the inability of French soldiers to put an end to the escalating bloodshed by Islamist extremists linked to al-Qaeda*, Daesh* as the convoy crossed the border from Burkina Faso.
In an interview with Western media, Niger's President Mohamed Bazoum acknowledged that France's policy in Africa is not very successful, but at the same time defended the French presence in the Sahel region.
"It’s true that French policy in Africa is not a great success right now. [...] But is it France's fault? I don't think so. France is an easy target for the populist discourse of certain opinions, especially on social media among African youth," the president stated.
According to the media, Bazoum tried to smooth over internal criticism of his decision to increase the French military presence in Niger, saying that intelligence from Paris had helped Niger a lot in the
fight against terrorism.
The president also said that institutions in Niger are strengthening, despite the continuing problems associated with instability, poverty, and hunger in some parts of the country. According to Bazoum, there is "no chance" of a possible military coup in the nation.
Niger is located in the Sahel region of Africa, one of the more problematic areas on the continent due to terrorist activity and illegal migration.
According to Dr. Felix Ndahinda, honorary assistant professor at the University of Rwanda, who earlier gave an interview to Sputnik, France "seeks to be, or seeks to remain, a major player" in Africa, "where growing [international] competition has eroded [French] influence."
France's influence in the Sahel substantially decreased after Paris
withdrewits soldiers from Mali and Burkina Faso at the request of the local military administrations and against the backdrop of anti-French and pro-Russian demonstrations in the region.
The French troops,
which were present in Mali and Burkina Faso with the declared goal of combating the terrorism that has plagued the region since 2011, withdrew in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
*terrorist organizations banned in Russia and many other countries
