Africa, anti-French

Any generalisation is usually quite inaccurate and unfair, but to continue to ignore the serious extent of the anti-French current that is being experienced and breathed in a large number of African countries would not only be ignorant, but would also bring us even closer to an abyss that directly affects France, but also, to a more than worrying degree, the rest of Europeans.  

This is not a simplistic interpretation like the old anti-colonialist denunciations, we are witnessing profound changes, reforms of the education system to replace French with English, as has happened in Morocco, for example. The reaction of the coup plotters in Mali, Burkina Faso and now in Niger against the conditions that have subjected political, economic, commercial and social relations to a permanent and haughty imposition by Paris to guarantee its interests for many years provokes a much more serious crisis than many want to see and admit.

The threat to stability and security in the area known as the Sahel, a strip from Mauritania to Eritrea, from west to east sub-Saharan Africa through Senegal, Nigeria, Guinea Conakry, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad and Sudan, is transferred to its southern neighbours, but with particular relevance to the north. Algeria's role as Russia's ally is another challenge. China's action, too. The arrogant and despotic attitude of the Paris governments on many occasions since they granted political independence to their African colonies has led to a noticeable sense of weariness and a very favourable breeding ground for the unscrupulous actions of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his unofficial instrument, the Wagner mercenary militia, led by his controversial friend Yevgeny Prigozhin.

French President Emmanuel Macron in November 2022 blamed Moscow for the rise of anti-French sentiment in Africa in the face of its loss of influence. To accusations that the French were exploiting African resources for their own benefit, Macron responded that it was their political project. The problem is that France's failure in these countries drags down the entire European Union. Wagner offers governments in the region to deal effectively and ruthlessly with terrorist groups and has succeeded in expelling French troops from Mali, for example.  

The coup plotters in Niger have cut off the military agreement with France and the shipment of uranium. The manipulation of populations is easy because it involves promises of significant improvement in their dire living conditions. Within Europe, there is public evidence of a lack of alignment with French policy in Africa. Irregular migration is a serious problem, but nothing like what might happen if there is a war after the warning of intervention in Niger by several African countries such as Senegal.  

It remains to be seen what the US will do in Niger where it maintains two military bases of great relevance to its operations in the region.