The double diplomatic setback inflicted on France by Senegal and Chad, analyzed in the editorial of Le Monde on December 2, 2024, marks a critical stage in Franco-African relations. These two sovereign decisions, although carried out by distinct contexts, underline a growing rejection of the neocolonial order by African nations. This historic moment poses a fundamental question: will France continue to cling to a reactive posture, dictated by maintaining its strategic and economic interests, or will it adopt a proactive and transformative approach, focused on recognition of African aspirations? This choice will determine whether Paris can still claim a significant role on the continent.
Since independence in the 1960s, relations between France and its former African colonies have been built on foundations that are unbalanced to say the least and in many respects abusive. If independence officially marked the end of colonial domination, the reality was quite different. Through institutional arrangements such as the CFA franc, unilateral defense agreements and a paternalistic foreign policy, France has maintained an economic, political and cultural hold on the countries of the French-speaking zone.
The CFA franc, established in 1945, is emblematic of this neocolonial continuity. Controlled by the French Treasury, it ties African economies to a currency whose priorities do not reflect their needs. This system allowed France to guarantee the stability and growth of its multiple economic operations and thus preserve its economic influence, while maintaining African countries in a state of structural dependence. At the same time, the defense agreements concluded after independence allowed France to maintain its military influence on the continent, in exchange for security guarantees widely perceived as illusory and above all intended to protect unpopular and autocratic regimes, aligned with the interests French.
However, these mechanisms, which have long served French interests, are crumbling under the pressure of liberated African youth and growing geopolitical rivalries. Powers like China, Russia, Turkey, the Gulf countries and even the United States of America have invested in strategic partnerships in Africa, offering alternatives to French domination perceived as obsolete.
The Eco project, a West African currency intended to replace the CFA franc, illustrates France’s clumsiness in its attempt to reform its neocolonial heritage without abandoning its foundations. In December 2019, during a visit to Abidjan, Emmanuel Macron and Alassane Ouattara, president of Côte d’Ivoire, announced the transition to the Eco. Presented as a response to growing criticism against the CFA franc, this initiative was to represent a historic step forward.
But the project was quickly discredited. The Eco, as proposed, maintained a fixed parity with the euro and still depended on the French Treasury for its guarantee. What was supposed to be a symbol of emancipation turned out to be a mere cosmetic reinvention of the existing system. For many Africans, this project represented an attempt to safeguard French influence in another form. Criticism has come from all sides, including from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which has been working for years on a true regional currency.
The Eco, in its Franco-Ivorian version, has still not seen the light of day. This failure underlines an essential lesson: France can no longer impose top-down reforms in Africa in neocolonial continuity. Macron’s strategy, consisting of reforming without upsetting the established order, has shown its limits. Any future initiative must be led by the Africans themselves, with, possibly, France in a role of technical support and not leadership.
African sovereignty carried by youth
The rise of sovereignist aspirations in Africa, driven mainly by young people, represents a major challenge for France. These connected and informed generations reject the frameworks inherited from colonization and demand international relations based on equality and mutual respect. This modern sovereignism, far from being a simple reaction to past frustrations, embodies a desire for profound transformation.
In countries like Senegal and Chad, this demand is expressed in varied ways, but it converges around common principles: economic autonomy, control of national resources and respect for local political choices. France, as a former colonial power, is often seen as the main obstacle to these aspirations.
The persistence of neocolonial relations is counterproductive for all parties. It perpetuates economic and political imbalances in Africa, fueling popular frustrations and anti-French movements. For France, this model has become a diplomatic burden. It tarnishes its image and limits its ability to form authentic partnerships with emerging African actors.
Decolonizing these relationships involves:
- Total monetary autonomy. The CFA franc and any similar attempts must be abandoned. France must clarify that it has no role to play in the management of African currencies, while offering technical support, if requested, to facilitate an autonomous transition.
- Fair economic partnerships. The terms of contracts must be revised to reflect the interests of African nations. This includes clauses ensuring that profits from extractive industries benefit more local populations.
- A horizontal diplomatic approach. France must treat African nations as equals, without interference in their internal affairs. This includes respect for political choices and strategic directions defined by Africans themselves.
The time has come for France to reinvent its relations with Africa. It is not only a question of preserving its economic or strategic interests, but of redefining its place in a multipolar world. A clear break with the neocolonial past will make it possible to build partnerships based on trust and mutual respect, like those that France already maintains with English-speaking countries such as Ghana or Nigeria.
This repositioning will require political courage and a long-term vision. But it is also an opportunity for France to reconcile itself with its history and play a positive role in the emergence of a sovereign and prosperous Africa. It is through such a transformation that Paris will be able to claim the role of a respected ally, and not a declining power clinging to a bygone past.
The future of Franco-African relations now rests on France’s ability to listen, understand and support, without seeking to lead. It is not only a strategic choice, but a moral requirement in the face of the legitimate aspirations of millions of Africans. The ball is in Paris’s court.
Text published by Mediapart, Tuesday December 3, 2024.
