New French Policy in Africa: Paris Can't Fully Break From Past 'Rooted in Colonialism' - Experts

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that his country was planning to change its policy toward the African continent and show "profound humility."

Dr. Felix Ndahinda, honorary assistant professor at the University of Rwanda, believes that Paris cannot "fully break away" from the past, "when that past is rooted in colonialism, which created new realities."

Ndahinda, a researcher focusing on conflict, peace and justice in the Great Lakes region, argued that France's change of policy in Africa is rather an effort to "adjust to the changing environment" than a move based on any abstract ideal for "genuine" change.

"Macron's approach is rooted in realism, as he tries to readjust his country's engagement with Africa based on new realities," the researcher stated in an interview with Sputnik. "Interests are central to this search for new terms of engagement."

Ndahinda explained that the African continent, which is the world's fastest-growing region, is changing and the people of Africa are leaving behind "the narrow politics dictated by colonial legacy." He added that France, which has often been criticized for exploitative relations with former African colonies, realizes the need to seek a more "balanced" partnership with Africa.

"A balanced partnership would expectedly break away from those practices of the past," he said. "Political and economic ties should focus on mutually beneficial interests and shift away from France’s existing paternalism vis-a-vis the continent."

Commenting on French President Macron's planned trip to four central African states – Gabon, Angola, the Republic of Congo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – on Wednesday, Ndahinda claimed that Paris is attempting to keep up with major international actors, like Russia, China, and the United States, which are "contesting" to build stronger ties with developing African states.

"France seeks to be, or seeks to remain, a major player in areas where growing competition has eroded its influence, or in a country like Angola, where French companies can have new opportunities allowing them to diversify their investment sectors," he argued.

The professor pointed out that African actors are now "more rational and aware of the need to diversify their interaction with the rest of the world". He added that Paris could only be "one of the partners" if it indeed adopts the level of "humility" promoted by President Macron during his Monday speech, in dealing with African nations.

Recalling the recent pullout of French troops from Mali and Burkina Faso under public pressure and amid rising anti-French sentiment, Ndahinda suggested that Macron's government has understood that "its foreign presence can no longer be sustained through corrupt dealings with governments lacking popular support."

It should be noted that both Mali and Burkina Faso are currently under military rule after the overthrow of previous governments, under which French military presence in the country was maintained and which were accused by local protesters of failing to overcome the terrorist threat.

Since 2011, the Sahel region where Mali and Burkina Faso are located, has been highly destabilized by terrorist and banditry activities, mainly carried out by terrorist groups linked to Daesh* and Al-Qaeda*. In 2014, France launched the so-called Operation Barkhane in Sahel under the pretext of fighting terrorism in the region.

The mission was terminated in 2022 after the withdrawal of French forces from Mali. This followed after the Malian military government accused the European state of terrorism support. In February 2023, France withdrew its troops from Burkina Faso on local government's demand; however, French military forces are still present in the Sahel.

During his speech at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris on Monday, Macron pointed out that the change in French strategy toward Africa and Paris' plans to reorganize its military presence in the continent do not involve the full withdrawal of French troops. Instead, the numbers of military personnel would be decreased, with some military bases to be transformed into schools and academies that would be jointly managed by French and African staff.

"France still has entrenched interests on the continent, French companies and expatriates often dominate the foreign presence in former colonies. No one would realistically expect France to fully pull out troops from those countries overnight, especially at a time when there is a growing presence of other actors," Ndahinda noted.

The University of Rwanda professor concluded that the only way to judge France's real intentions is to see "real changes" in the former colonial power's future dealings with the African continent and how they "really break away from the past exploitative and paternalistic approaches."

As for the potential reasons that prompted Paris to review its African policy, Jean Lionel Kouakou, an Ivorian political expert, pointed out two "fundamental" reasons behind such development.

"The first is that Paris, after ten years of military presence [in the African Sahel region], failed in these countries in the fight against jihadism. It has failed in its promise to ensure the security of its former colonies, which are now plagued by jihadism," Kouakou told Sputnik. "The second reason is of a geopolitical nature... Paris feels threatened and is losing influence in its pre-square."

The expert argued that it was "very urgent" for France to revise its African policy in order to "prevent its zone of influence" from ending up in the hands of its opponents, including Russia, which has been actively developing ties with nations across the African continent.

Speaking of the rising anti-French sentiment in the Sahel region and the pullout of French troops from Mali, and later from neighboring Burkina Faso, Kouakou said: "The French army is no longer welcome in these countries because the French policies adopted there did not respect their commitments recorded in the defense agreements with these countries."

He argued that it was necessary for Malian and Burkinabe authorities to review their agreements with Paris or change partners "because they have a responsibility and accountability" to their people, who are the real victims of the terrorist activities in the region.

"Moreover, in view of the rumors that circulate about the fact that Paris is even at the origin of this jihadism, it is quite understandable that the French Army is rejected in these areas," Kouakou said.

The political analyst commented on the stations of President Macron's scheduled trip to the Central African region, saying that the goals of the visit vary according to the countries. Regarding Angola, which is the only non-French-speaking country in the list of Macron's host countries, Kouakou believes that the French leader is heading there to "discuss energy resources."

"Let's not forget that Europe is facing an energy crisis. It is logical that he should seek to remedy this delicate problem," he noted.

Kouakou concluded by insisting that "French politics in Africa can have better and brighter days if and only if France decides to take into account the demands and interests of African peoples and not consider the interests of corrupt African politicians."

* Daesh and Al-Qaeda are terrorist organizations banned in Russia and many other countries around the world.