President Emmanuel Macron recently characterized the state of affairs between France and the Sahel’s military governments as a “settling of scores.” His assertion that Paris was “repaid with ingratitude” marked, in unusually candid terms, the conclusion of a diplomatic chapter spanning over a decade. This direct statement unequivocally targets the ruling juntas in Bamako, Ouagadougou, and Niamey, three capitals that have progressively terminated bilateral military cooperation with France.
Presidential remarks confirm Sahelian split
The French President’s tone stands in stark contrast to the diplomatic caution typically exercised when addressing African partners. By emphasizing France’s significant human and financial sacrifices, Emmanuel Macron seeks to attribute responsibility for the breakdown in relations to the transitional authorities that emerged from the coups d’état in 2020, 2022, and 2023. These comments also resonate with a domestic audience, as the Sahel situation is widely perceived in France as a major strategic setback following the compelled withdrawal of Operation Barkhane in 2022.
Nevertheless, the President’s candid remarks risk further exacerbating an already fragile situation. In both Bamako and Niamey, the official narrative has consistently portrayed French presence as intrusive, even neo-colonial. Each statement from the Élysée expressing grievances inherently fuels the sovereignist rhetoric championed by Colonels Assimi Goïta, Ibrahim Traoré, and Abdourahamane Tiani. European diplomatic missions, closely monitoring these developments, express concern that such direct language could further complicate their own remaining channels of communication with Sahelian capitals.
Sahel States Alliance confronts French withdrawal
Following the establishment of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023, which evolved into a confederation by July 2024, the three military regimes have rapidly shifted their diplomatic alignments. This includes withdrawing from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), strengthening ties with Moscow through Africa Corps (Wagner’s successor), and engaging with Ankara and Tehran. The geopolitical repositioning of Bamako, Ouagadougou, and Niamey is proceeding at an accelerated pace. France, which previously held significant economic sway through entities like the CFA franc, Orange, TotalEnergies, and Eramet, is now witnessing its influence diminish.
Tangibly, the planned departure of the final French troops from Chad and Senegal by the end of 2024 marks the completion of Paris’s military disengagement from the Sahelo-Saharan region. The French presence in West Africa, which numbered over 5,000 personnel in 2020, has now shrunk to a minimal footprint, primarily focused on training and intelligence. This significant reduction fundamentally alters France’s long-standing influence model, which historically relied heavily on force projection.
Paris’s double-edged rhetoric in Africa
By publicly citing the “ingratitude” of African partners, Emmanuel Macron risks reinforcing a post-colonial interpretation that has already gained significant traction among Sahelian publics, especially urban youth. The term, whether intended or not, evokes a paternalistic discourse that the French government had actively sought to dismantle since the Ouagadougou speech in November 2017. The contrast between initial promises of a renewed Franco-African relationship and the current reality of a breakdown is now striking.
Furthermore, the President’s public comments come as Paris endeavors to reshape its African partnerships, focusing on what it perceives as more stable nations, from Morocco to Côte d’Ivoire, including Bénin and Mauritania. This strategy, which largely bypasses the Sahel, necessitates measured public statements to avoid negatively impacting broader diplomatic ties. Several African diplomats, even from allied countries, have privately voiced discomfort with what they consider an overly personal tone.
In Dakar, Abidjan, and Nouakchott, these developments are being closely watched, as they highlight France’s struggle to conclude a chapter cleanly without reopening old wounds. The pertinent question remains: how can Paris re-establish its credibility as an attentive partner on the continent while grappling with a Sahelian legacy it deems unfairly judged? Emmanuel Macron’s statements signify a further step in the symbolic closure of France’s Sahel engagement.
