Like every year, Emmanuel Macron presented the broad outlines of his foreign policy to the ambassadors. During this traditional conference of ambassadors held in Paris, Monday January 6, the President of the Republic discussed several issues such as the war in Ukraine, the return of Donald Trump to the White House, Mercosur and even the Syria. Emmanuel Macron also commented on the interventions of French troops in Africa as part of the fight against terrorism.
France had « raison » to intervene militarily in Africa “against terrorism since 2013”he estimated. « We were there at the request of sovereign states »he recalls. However, African leaders have “forgot to say thank you”also declared the head of state. “None of them would be with a sovereign country today if the French army had not been deployed”he asserted. “It doesn’t matter, it will come with time”quipped Emmanuel Macron, assuring: “No, France is not in decline in Africa, it is simply lucid, it is reorganizing itself.”
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As a reminder, French forces were forced to withdraw from several countries in Africa, including Chad and Senegal in November 2024 and Ivory Coast in January. A withdrawal started in 2022 and the end of Operation Barkhane-Serval where French troops were deployed in the Sahel to stabilize the region and fight against armed terrorist groups.
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