New Africa, new power: France struggles to maintain influence as nations seek independence Fading colonialism?

The Saudi Arabia-based English newspaper Arab News has published an article shedding light on the weakening of France's influence in Africa. Caliber.Az offers the paraphrased version of some excerpts from the piece.

France is currently facing a significant challenge in its relationship with its former African colonies as its political and military influence wanes. Recently, the new Senegalese President, Bassirou Dioumaye Faye, declared that France would be required to close its military bases in Senegal, citing conflicts with the country's sovereignty. Similarly, Chad issued a sudden statement terminating its defence cooperation agreement with France and demanded the withdrawal of French forces from the N’Djamena base.

France’s historical ties to Africa date back to the 17th century, with the establishment of its first trading posts in Senegal. By the 20th century, French ambitions shifted to full-scale colonization, and Paris controlled vast regions in West and Central Africa, covering over 11 million square kilometres. Although formal colonization ended in the 1960s, France retained significant influence through economic policies, military presence, resource exploitation, and the use of the French franc to anchor African currencies. However, this influence has been steadily diminishing in recent decades.

Several factors contribute to this decline. First, global competitors such as China, Russia, and Türkiye have emerged, offering economic partnerships without the conditions tied to French agreements. Second, the cost of French military interventions has risen at a time when France is dealing with its own economic challenges and social unrest. Third, a new generation of African leaders and grassroots movements is rejecting traditional alliances and demanding more sovereignty and independence from former colonial powers.

What once was a symbol of France's power—its military presence in Africa—has now become a source of tension. Operation Serval, launched in Mali in 2013, marked a pivotal moment. The operation aimed to combat armed groups in northern Mali but was poorly coordinated with the Malian army and disregarded local political and social realities. For instance, a raid on Timbuktu in January 2013, conducted without consulting the Malian government, stirred local resentment and turned France from a partner into an occupying force in the eyes of many. Rather than stabilizing the region, the French intervention expanded the conflict, with tensions spreading to Niger and Burkina Faso. In these countries, France became the target of mounting political and popular criticism, and despite its military superiority, France struggled to defeat the armed groups, raising suspicions that it had no intention of ending the conflict, which fueled anti-French sentiments.

When Emmanuel Macron became president in 2017, he sought to reframe France’s relationship with Africa. He visited Mali to promote a “new approach” of partnership. However, in 2019, France suffered a setback when 13 soldiers were killed in an operation in Mali, leading Macron to convene a summit with Sahel nations to discuss the French military presence. Yet, public anger toward France only grew as Paris failed to produce tangible results. In 2020, after the military coup in Mali, the Malian junta adopted an anti-French stance. Paris, however, misjudged the situation and assumed the new military council would support its policies. France then attempted to “Europeanize” its military intervention in the Sahel to deflect criticism, but it failed to understand the profound shifts in African attitudes.

The rise of anti-French sentiment is not a temporary trend but reflects a deeper transformation in the geopolitical landscape. Many Africans now see France as a symbol of neocolonial exploitation, rather than a true partner. This view is fueled by France’s support for regimes perceived as authoritarian, the controversial link between the CFA franc and the euro, and other policies that critics argue undermine African sovereignty.

A new generation of African leaders and grassroots movements, shaped by postcolonial experiences, is increasingly rejecting traditional alliances with France in favor of more diverse partnerships. The advent of social media has amplified these voices, making it harder for Paris to ignore their demands or reassert its former dominance.

Today, France finds itself isolated in a continent that was once a strategic stronghold. Military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger signal that these geopolitical shifts in Africa are not temporary disruptions but the start of a new era, one in which African nations seek to reshape their relationships with the world. Despite ongoing efforts to repair relations and reorient its foreign policy, France is coming to terms with the fact that its era of uncontested dominance in Africa has ended. The question now is whether France can adapt to these new dynamics or if the era of “Françafrique” is truly over.