Alain Juillet, former head of French intelligence, addressed the new geopolitical dynamics between Europe and Africa at a conference in Casablanca, organized by the Association for the Progress of Leaders (APD). Faced with recent political upheavals in Africa, he calls for a rethinking of Euro-African cooperation, highlighting the weakening of European influence and the emergence of new players such as China and Russia.
Alain Juillet, former head of French intelligence, spoke with a group of Moroccan leaders yesterday in Casablanca. This exchange, which is part of a conference organized by the Association for the Progress of Leaders (APD), focused on the new strategic balance of power between Europe and Africa. This is in light of recent developments in North and West Africa, as well as the Sahel region. In front of an audience composed mainly of decision-makers, captivated by this subject of high strategic significance, the man who has also held high positions in the field of economic intelligence focused in detail on the different axes of the conference, recalled by the organizers.
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Indeed, speaking in a brief inaugural address, Farida Jirari, general director of the APD, defined the contours of the theme, not without underlining the dynamism of the association, which marked with this conference its 23th activity since the beginning of the year. It should be noted that this theme comes “a few weeks after the French recognition of the sovereignty of the Kingdom over its Sahara and a few weeks before the visit of President Macron, which should seal a new partnership between the two strategic allied countries,” he said. she lets it be known. Furthermore, such reflection involves, according to the leader of the APD, examining the political and security upheavals as well as the rise in power of anti-French movements taking place in the western and French-speaking part of the continent. Part until then under French supervision.
Europe-Africa: Rethinking cooperation
Continuing to delineate the subject, the DG of ODA indicated that this evolution of the situation – marked by the various military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Niger – contributed, in a part of the weakening of the traditional influence of France, and more broadly of Europe; and opened the way, on the other hand, for new players, notably Russian and Chinese, to extend their influence there. These actors offer alternative security services to the regimes in place, while adopting an anti-Western discourse that resonates favorably with local leaders.
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Faced with these developments, which demonstrate a turning point in Euro-African relations, “Europe is forced to rethink its cooperation policies with Africa, integrating the new strategic realities on the ground,” indicated Farida Jirari. . She also underlined that the “paternalistic approach”, formerly adopted by the Old Continent with regard to the “Cradle of humanity”, is now being replaced by an assertive perspective, marked by a desire to diversify economic and military partnerships. .
Added to this are energy issues and growing tensions around raw materials on the African continent. So many challenges which led the first head of the ODA to affirm that “the new strategic balance of power between Europe and Africa is not only limited to security considerations, but also extends to economic issues. and diplomacy that will redefine the future of the two continents.
ODA at the heart of new realities
Bringing his informed expertise to the various concerns raised by Ms. Jirari and her members, Alain Juillet found legitimate the wind of sovereignty blowing across Africa, as well as the feeling of growing nationalism developing there. “Many countries aspire to reduce their dependence on external aid, and it is likely that economic relations will evolve towards more self-reliance. This could transform the role of external partners, who will have to adapt to these new realities,” he said. As for the decline of France’s hegemony over its former colonies, this is partly explained by the profound ignorance that most French presidents have of the African continent. He specified that French politics is torn between a right conscious of the importance of the continent and a left, influenced by “wokism”, developing a feeling of guilt linked to the colonial past. This slows down any involvement and limits initiatives, even though they are beneficial to Africans.
Finance development
Regarding the global economic outlook, Alain Juillet assured that, while it is undeniable that Africa is experiencing one of the best growth rates in the world, the lack of industrialization and liquidity is hampering its development. “Central banks should play a more active role in seeking financing, but political instability, particularly in military regimes, often deters long-term investors, who require 20 to 30 years of visibility to commit their capital” , he declared.
Another point raised concerns the controversy surrounding the dollar. On this subject, the expert recalled the historical context of the hegemony of the dollar and revealed indications of a growing desire to put an end to it. “In the 2000s, China held up to 34% of US Treasuries, creating a balance of dependence between the two nations. However, today China has reduced its stake to around 20%, seeking to diversify its reserves and prepare for a potential dollar devaluation. With the emergence of the Chinese yuan and the possibility of an “e-yuan”, the hegemony of the dollar is increasingly contested. »
The exchanges between the former senior French official and the members of the Association also covered many other subjects on which Alain Juillet, described as a “brilliant expert with a remarkable career” by Farida Jirari, provided particularly edifying answers.
Gethème Yao
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