The French magazine “Le Point” said, on Wednesday, that President Emmanuel Macron is touring Central Africa, in a minefield-like atmosphere, amid growing fears of the decline of Paris’ influence in the continent.
Macron is visiting four countries in Africa to strengthen France’s position in the brown continent, in light of what appears to be an “unfriendly” atmosphere, especially in Burkina Faso.
Macron will visit symbolic countries on the continent for Paris, namely Gabon and the Republic of the Congo, in addition to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola.
The magazine added that France finds itself at stake in Africa, more than ever before, while competition intensifies between the world’s great powers to enhance cooperation with the continent.
France fears that anti-France sentiment will spread to Chad and Niger, while other countries such as Russia and China are strengthening their influence there.
Macron was betting, during his second term in the Elysee, on strengthening his country’s presence in this strategic region of Africa.
Macron is attending a climate conference in the Gabonese capital, Libreville, while his agenda includes other issues such as defense and culture.
The magazine referred to the challenges of the relationship between France and Africa, including France’s confusion about the most appropriate language for communication and dealing with the continent at the present time.
The magazine quoted a French source as saying that what is required is to deal with Africa as an arena for competition, and not as an area in which it has absolute influence.
And the source stated that there is likely African disappointment towards France, and the reason may be that it was believed that Paris was the one who alone, without others, managed this file.
Unsure step
Burkina Faso announced the cessation of the “military assistance agreement” signed in 1961 with France, weeks after it requested the withdrawal of French forces from this country, which is witnessing acts of violence carried out by extremists.
In a letter sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Burkina Faso to Paris dated Tuesday, Ouagadougou announced “the cessation of the military assistance agreement concluded in Paris on April 24, 1961 between the Republic of Upper Volta (the former name of Burkina Faso) and the French Republic.”
Burkina gives a “period of one month” after receiving this letter for “the final departure of all French soldiers serving in Burkina Faso’s military departments”.
On January 18, the authorities in Ouagadougou asked the French forces to leave their territory within a month.
The Burkina Faso authorities recently expressed their desire to diversify their partnerships, especially in combating extremism that has been tearing the country apart since 2015.
Among the parties that Ouagadougou is considering establishing a partnership with, the question of a possible rapprochement with Russia is regularly raised.
Burkina Faso, especially the northern half of it, suffers from frequent and increasing attacks by groups linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS, which have killed thousands and forced about two million people to flee their homes.
