After Burkina Faso and Mali, France is losing Niger, says Karin Kneissl, who headed Austrian diplomacy from 2017 to 2019. According to her, African countries have more opportunities on the continent and can choose whom to cooperate with.
The change of power in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Mali is "the official end of Francafrique," former Austrian Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl (in office from 2017 to 2019) told Sputnik.
"France is gradually losing its foothold in African countries: they've been expelled from Mali, they've been expelled from Burkina Faso. Now Niger wants to close the French military bases in the country. For France, I think this is the official end of the Francafrique policy, since the new authorities can choose," she declared.
Ms. Kneissl added that African countries can now opt for China, Turkiye, Russia, and India as partners, as more opportunities and more players present themselves on the continent.
France Challenged
For several months, Paris has been experiencing a series of setbacks on the African continent. Anti-French discontent has taken hold in some countries, particularly in West Africa, leading to the withdrawal of military forces from Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic.
At the end of July, the Nigerien Army announced on national television that President Mohamed Bazoum had been deposed. A former French colony, Niger was considered one of the Western world's last allies in the Sahel. Paris has supplied it with drones and fighter jets, and deployed 1,500 soldiers to combat terrorist groups operating on the borders of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. In addition, Niger has rich uranium reserves, which are seen as especially valuable for France, which actively utilizes nuclear energy.