Turkish media: France losing both military, political weight in Africa

Following the reduction of military presence in African countries, France is also losing political influence on the world's second-largest continent, particularly in the Sahel region.

This decline has been highlighted in reports and analyses from Turkish media, which delve into the crisis in France's relations with African nations, according to Caliber.Az.

The Anadolu Agency drew readers' attention to the complete withdrawal of French military contingents from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, as well as the decision by Chadian authorities on November 28 last year to terminate security and defence industry agreements with Paris.

The agency notes that French troops are expected to fully leave Chad by the end of this month.

Turkish media also recall Senegal's decision to "completely withdraw all foreign troops from its territory by 2025."

The newspaper İstiklal cited the opinion of Sahel expert Ahmed Nourreddine, who explained that African countries are now determined to fully break away from their colonial legacy, which manifests in various areas.

According to Nourreddine, France's weakening position in its former colonies is due not only to the rise of national consciousness among African peoples but also to the policies of other major powers, including China, Russia, and India, which are "steadily replacing Paris in Africa."

Nourreddine also pointed to the efforts of the United States and Japan to prevent China's strengthening influence on the African continent, creating an atmosphere of fierce competition.

"Another reason for France's declining influence in Africa is the mass atrocities committed in Rwanda and the Central African Republic. Many countries in the region believe that France is directly or indirectly responsible for these bloody events. As a result, Paris is losing control over Africa's resources, which it held for three centuries," he noted, linking this to the decline in economic ties between Paris and African nations.

The Turkish-language channel CGTN Türk prepared a report on Paris's political fiasco in Mali.

The report informed viewers about the openly negative perception of France in Mali, the Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal, and Côte d'Ivoire.

The Turkish broadcaster featured statements from representatives of the Malian Resistance Movement, who recalled the deployment of 20,000 French troops in the country under the pretext of combating terrorism.

According to them, the arrival of French forces worsened the situation in the country. The population faced pressure, and atrocities were documented.

"People began fleeing their homes, villages were destroyed, and pregnant women and children were killed. The Malian army essentially collapsed. Meanwhile, the Malian Air Force was not allowed to operate in certain areas, and the authorities were prohibited from purchasing weapons without Paris's approval. The situation only changed after the change of power in the country in August 2020. The French were expelled from the country," the report concluded.

By Khagan Isayev