On November 28, shortly after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot completed a diplomatic trip to Chad, the Chadian government unexpectedly announced the end of the defense cooperation agreement with the French Republic.
On the same day, Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye informed French media that “there will soon be no more French soldiers” in Senegal.
“Senegal is an independent nation, a sovereign nation, and sovereignty does not allow for military bases on its territory,” he declared.
France’s presence in Africa, which has faced growing scrutiny since the end of colonialism—captured by the term Françafrique—is under examination. Recent coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have led to military regimes that are highly wary of French intentions.
Instead of crafting a coherent policy response, France finds itself mired in domestic political turmoil. President Emmanuel Macron saw his appointed prime minister, Michel Barnier, ousted earlier this month after succumbing to a vote of no confidence over budget matters. Barnier has now been succeeded by Francois Bayrou, a centrist aged 73.
Experts have emphasized that a fragmented French parliament complicates the formulation of effective policies toward Africa, especially during a time when long-held assumptions are being challenged, as highlighted by African Business.
Macron’s Approach
Since taking office in 2017, President Macron has sought to reshape France’s relationship with Africa to align with a new reality.
In a speech at the University of Ouagadougou at the outset of his first term, he stressed that France should not dictate African policy, highlighting the importance of recognizing Africa as an ally. This strategy includes a willingness to confront the painful legacy of colonialism, although without issuing official apologies in Algeria and other areas.
“I belong to a generation of French people who acknowledge the undeniable crimes of European colonization as part of our history,” he stated, adding, “We are not here to instruct Africa on what to do.”
Macron’s outreach has also concentrated on building economic partnerships. During the 2021 Africa-France Summit in Montpellier, he pledged significant investments aimed at boosting African businesses and innovation.
In November, Macron received a warm welcome in Morocco, one of France’s closest allies on the continent. He signed agreements totaling up to €10 billion in various sectors, including energy and infrastructure, with major deals established with the French rail manufacturer Alstom and energy giants Engie and TotalEnergies. Macron also voiced support for Morocco’s claim over Western Sahara, committing to investments in that region.
Nevertheless, while Macron attempts to reaffirm France’s significance to Africa, he confronts dwindling political influence at home. The French parliament has become nearly evenly divided among far-right, left, and center-right parties, complicating consensus on Africa policy.
Alseny Thiam, an associate researcher at the Strategic Think Tank on Security in the Sahel and the Institute for European Perspective and Security, indicates that the political discord in France complicates Macron’s efforts to strengthen France’s influence.
“This friction within the French government represents a quasi-cohabitation,” Thiam explains, describing a situation where the president and prime minister come from different political factions.
Thiam asserts that this environment has adversely impacted France’s diplomatic relations and internal policies.
Migration Issues
This disarray is particularly evident in the area of migration.
Foreign Minister Barrot insists that France’s ties with Africa extend beyond “mobility and migration concerns.”
“We are working to rebuild our relationships with African nations, encompassing economic, cultural, and civil society collaboration, even with those based in France…. Although we address irregular migration alongside our African partners, it is merely one of several relevant issues,” he stated.
Conversely, his conservative counterpart Bruno Retailleau, who served as interior minister under Barnier, has remained intensely focused on reducing immigration. He has advocated for measures to curb migration flows through agreements with African countries of origin and transit.
Caroline Roussy, research director at the French Institute of International and Strategic Affairs, observes that the internal policy confusion has made it more challenging for Africans to enter France—a key factor in fostering closer political and economic relations.
“The visa issue, controlled by the Ministry of the Interior rather than Foreign Affairs, is particularly sensitive. It risks further straining already tense relations,” she noted.
“With another immigration bill likely to take center stage in January in France, this issue feels especially urgent. It is deeply stigmatizing and carries the potential for political exploitation within African nations,” she added.
“In Senegal, for instance, visa appointments have been outsourced to private agencies, resulting in exorbitant fees between €600 and €800. This undermines trust and accessibility to France for African students and professionals… The role of cultural diplomacy in this evolving landscape remains crucial. It continues to strengthen connections.”
New African leaders often lack historical ties to Paris, making the establishment of new people-to-people connections—especially at the political level—more vital than ever, according to her.
“Today’s African elites—like Mali’s Assimi Goïta or Burkina Faso’s Ibrahim Traoré—did not study in France or cultivate relationships with French counterparts. We are entering a new phase where France’s historical influence is being challenged, creating a void that other powers can occupy,” she elaborated.
Colonial Contradictions
Migration is not the only area where the administration has struggled to unify its messaging. Macron’s attempts to express regret for France’s colonial history in Africa faced obstacles when Retailleau made a more favorable assessment of the empire on national radio just before taking office.
“Colonization was, undeniably, a dark era, but it was also a beautiful time, marked by helping hands,” he noted.
Retailleau had previously criticized Macron’s African strategies before assuming government office, attributing the president’s failure to address the rise of “anti-French sentiment” in the region, referring to Morocco’s rejection of French aid during the 2023 earthquakes and a series of military coups in the Ecowas region.
The appointment of centrist Bayrou might foster greater coherence in the African policy-making process.
However, as Barrot and Retailleau retain their positions as foreign and interior ministers respectively, such coherence is far from assured.
