Emmanuel Macron: Why the French president’s statement angers Africa

Emmanuel Macron’s statement delivered on the occasion of the annual Conference of French Ambassadors sparked various reactions on the continent.

While there were once nine African countries that hosted French military bases on the continent, there will only be two, Gabon and Djibouti, in the near future.

Indeed, after the departure of French forces from the Central African Republic, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, Chad and Senegal announced, last November, their desire to have them leave their countries.

They will be followed, in this generalized surge of sovereignty, by Côte d’Ivoire, which also expresses, on December 31, 2024, its wish to break the ranks of French soldiers in its territory.

It is in this atmosphere of political-diplomatic “fog” that the French President, Emmanuel Macron, spoke out to restore the image of the colonial power. But what did he say to provoke so many reactions in Africa?

Once again, the French president’s communication on a subject that links his country to Africa has once again caused controversy.

While speaking on the occasion of the 30th Conference of French Ambassadors held in Paris on Monday January 6 and Tuesday January 7, 2024, Emmanuel Macron refutes the idea that the French army was forced to withdraw from several African countries.

“We left, because there were coups d’état, because we were there, at the request of sovereign states. From the moment there were coups d’état, when people said “our priority is no longer the fight against terrorism”, France no longer had its place there”, underlined the French head of state.

“And then, we decided, this is the second part, to reorganize our military presence. And so, we proposed to the African heads of state to reorganize our presence. As we are very polite, we left it to them primacy of the announcement”, clarified Emmanuel Macron.

“But don’t be fooled. Sometimes we had to push them. But just because we are polite, correct, and reorganize ourselves, doesn’t mean it should be returned against us by saying: ‘they are driven out of Africa’”, he insisted.

“We chose to move, because we had to move,” Macron explained at the start of his speech to recall France’s commitment to Africa in the fight against terrorism since 2013.

“I think we forgot to say ‘thank you’. It doesn’t matter, it will come with time. Ingratitude, I am well placed to know, is a non-transmissible disease. man. But I say it for all the African leaders who did not have the courage to support their public opinion. None of them would be at the head of a sovereign country today. if the French army had not deployed in this region”, reiterated the French president.

These comments from President Macron sparked strong reactions in Senegal and Chad.

In Senegal, the reaction of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko was not long in coming.

“President Emmanuel Macron affirmed today that the announced departure of the French bases would have been negotiated between the African countries which decreed it and France. He continues by estimating that it is out of simple convenience and politeness that France granted the first announcement to these African countries. I would like to say that, in the case of Senegal, this statement is totally erroneous,” the head of the Senegalese government wrote on his Facebook page on Monday.

According to him, “no discussion or negotiation has taken place to date and the decision taken by Senegal stems from its sole will, as a free, independent and sovereign country.”

“He declares, finally, ‘that no African country would be sovereign today, if France had not deployed itself’. Let us note that France has neither the capacity nor the legitimacy to ensure Africa’s security and its sovereignty,” explained Ousmane Sonko.

“Quite the contrary, it has often contributed to destabilizing certain African countries such as Libya, with disastrous consequences noted for the stability and security of the Sahel,” he continues.

“It is finally the place to remind President Macron that if African soldiers, sometimes mobilized by force, mistreated and finally betrayed, had not deployed during the Second World War to defend France, it would, perhaps -to still be German today,” explained Ousmane Sonko.

In N’djamena, the Chadian government also reacted with a press release signed by its Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abderaman Koulamallah.

“The government of the Republic of Chad expresses its deep concern following the remarks made recently by the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, which reflect a contemptuous attitude towards Africa and Africans,” he said. he underlined while inviting French leaders to “learn to respect the African people and (to) recognize the value of their sacrifices”.

“History attests that Africa, including Chad, played a determining role in the liberation of France during the two world wars, a fact that France never truly recognized. The immense sacrifices made by the African soldiers to defend freedom were downplayed, and no proper thanks were expressed,” he said.

“With regard to Chad, it should be emphasized that the construction of our army is not the work of France. Our army, strong and resilient, is the fruit of the bravery of the Chadian people and the sacrifices made with “modest means. France has never significantly provided the Chadian army nor contributed to its structural development,” continues the head of Chadian diplomacy.

“In 60 years of presence, marked by civil wars, rebellions and prolonged political instability, the French contribution has often been limited to its own strategic interests, without any real lasting impact for the development of the Chadian people,” he recalls. .

“Instead of attacking Africa, President Macron should focus his efforts on resolving the problems that concern the French people,” he advises.

Abderaman Koulamallah insisted on the aspiration of the Chadian people “for full and complete sovereignty, for true independence, and for the construction of a strong and autonomous State, acquired at the cost of inestimable sacrifices” and invited France and its other partners “to integrate this legitimate aspiration into their approach to relations with Africa”.

Questioned about the French president’s communications strategy which is causing controversy, journalist Assane Samb, specialized in the analysis of political discourse, (thinks) “that France is making serious errors”.

“This is not the first time, and of course it will further radicalize African leaders,” noted the political analyst.

“I think Macron is trying to make up for mistakes made in relations between France and Africa.”

According to him, “he is actually trying to make up for it, truly, by still trying to take things to his advantage.”

“He is actually speaking to French opinion and European opinion to let them know that they have the situation under control, that what is happening is because they [les Français] wanted it. That they still have control of the reins of relations between Africa and France; but the reality is quite different,” explains Assane Samb, who believes that the French “have already lost control for a long time.”

“It is clear that France does not have much control over these relations. And that is precisely what greatly disturbed and embarrassed Macron to the point that he made such a clumsy exit which, we will also point out, will also have equally negative consequences in relations with Africa”, he said, in view of “the serial reactions noted in Senegal, in Chad, but also certainly in other countries in the days to come”.

Assane Samb believes that this latest outing by Macron could have negative consequences in France-Africa relations.

“And it is clear that what we are going to witness is a radicalization and France will lose more ground,” argues Samb.

“Russia is there, China, these countries are there and are ready to cooperate in another way and in a much more flexible way with much more substantial means,” he continues.

According to the political analyst, France-Africa is running out of steam.

However, he emphasizes that he does not think there would be a “total break”, like that made by the AES States.

“I don’t think that other States will follow, particularly those of ECOWAS. Absolutely not. For many of these States, France will remain a strategic partner. There are many historical and cultural links at all levels”, he recalls.

“Also on the economic level, we are not ready to break. France is a great economic and technological power. We need technology transfers,” continues Assane Samb.