Emmanuel Macron defended France’s African policy at the Conference of Ambassadors, rejecting the idea of a withdrawal from the continent and justifying the departure of French forces following recent coups.
French President Emmanuel Macron defended France’s African policy at the Conference of Ambassadors in Paris on Monday, rejecting the idea of a French retreat on the continent.
« No, France is not in decline in Africa, it is simply lucid, it is reorganizing itself “, he said, emphasizing the need to update historical relations with the continent.
Regarding French military engagement against terrorism since 2013, Macron expressed some resentment at the lack of recognition: “ We were right. I think we forgot to say thank you. Ingratitude, I am well placed to know. It is a disease that is not transmissible to humans. »
The French president justified the withdrawal of French forces after recent coups, saying that “ France is not the substitute for putschists “. He recalled that the French military presence initially responded to the request of sovereign states.
After Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), it is the turn of other West African countries to request the departure of French soldiers. Chad denounced its defense agreements with Paris, while Senegal and Ivory Coast announced the withdrawal of French troops in 2025.
« None of them would be with a sovereign country today if the French army had not been deployed in this region », he underlined, paying tribute to the French soldiers who fell in Africa.
AC/SF/APA
