During an annual Ambassadors conference in Paris, Macron claimed that the Sahel states had neglected to express gratitude for France’s contributions in fighting extremism. His comments come as France continues to withdraw troops from West Africa, with countries like Chad, Senegal, and Ivory Coast ending their security agreements with France.

Professor Mammo Muchie, a Pan-African scholar and research chair for innovation studies at Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa, offered his perspective on the matter during an interview. He contended that it was not African countries that were ungrateful, but rather France itself. According to Professor Muchie, the history of colonialism and continued French influence in the region through military and economic control has left many African countries far from achieving true independence.

“After decolonisation, many African countries, especially the 14 still under French control as part of the Francophone bloc, never truly gained independence. Even today, 65% of their reserves remain in French banks, and the French military maintains a presence in these countries,” Muchie explained. He went on to argue that it is France that should express gratitude to African nations for their efforts to remove French forces from their territories.

He further emphasised the need for African countries to unite in their efforts to secure the continent’s resources and control its future. Muchie noted that African nations remain the poorest despite possessing vast natural resources, attributing this paradox to continued external exploitation.

In response to Macron’s remarks, the Professor supported the recent decisions by Senegal, Chad, and Ivory Coast to end security agreements with France. He argued that the African nations must take charge of their security and work together to address the extremist threats in the region without relying on former colonial powers.

While acknowledging the continued role of external actors in the region, Muchie advocated for stronger pan-African unity and self-determination. “Africa must unite and address its challenges with its own forces,” he said, warning against the continued interference of external powers that, in his view, seek to divide and control the continent’s vast resources.

As France’s influence in West Africa wanes, African leaders are increasingly asserting their sovereignty, as demonstrated by the recent moves to sever ties with France. The future of France’s role in Africa appears uncertain, yet the linguistic and cultural ties, with over 120 million people speaking French across 29 African countries, will continue to shape relations for decades to come.

--ChannelAfrica--