Macron Sparks Outrage Across Africa with Comments on French Military Aid

French President Emmanuel Macron has faced sharp criticism from African governments and activists following his controversial remarks about “ingratitude” from African leaders for France’s military efforts in the Sahel region. Macron’s statements, made during a conference with French ambassadors in Paris, have reignited debates about France’s role in Africa and its waning influence on the continent.

Addressing the Sahel region’s struggles with Islamist extremism and civil conflicts, Macron claimed that these nations only maintained sovereignty due to the presence of French troops. “We had a security relationship… Someone forgot to say thank you. It does not matter; it will come with time,” he remarked. Macron also dismissed claims that French forces were expelled from the Sahel, instead attributing their departure to successive military coups in the region.

These remarks were met with strong opposition. Chad’s foreign affairs minister, Abderaman Koulamallah, condemned Macron’s comments as “contemptuous” and accused France of prioritizing its strategic interests over the development of the Chadian people. Chad recently ended its defense cooperation with France, citing the need to reassert its sovereignty.

Macron defended France’s role in the Sahel, saying, “None of them would be a sovereign country today if the French army had not deployed in the region.” He added that the withdrawal of French troops followed the shift in priorities of coup-led governments in the region.

However, the French president’s assertions were rejected by Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who emphasized that Senegal’s decision to close foreign military bases, including French ones, was a sovereign choice. “France has neither the capacity nor the legitimacy to ensure Africa’s security and sovereignty,” Sonko stated.

The backlash wasn’t limited to African governments. Activists across the continent criticized Macron’s comments as paternalistic and neo-colonial. Togolese writer and activist Farida Bemba Nabourema called Macron’s statements “revisionist” and accused him of perpetuating a colonial mindset by framing African nations as incapable of self-governance.

Meanwhile, some Sahel nations, including Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, have turned to Russia for military support. These countries have signed agreements with Moscow and welcomed military instructors from the Wagner Group, a controversial Russian paramilitary organization. Wagner forces have also expanded their presence in Central and West Africa, marking a shift away from traditional Western partnerships.

Macron insists that France is merely “reorganizing” its presence in Africa, but the rising anti-French sentiment and the pivot toward Russian alliances suggest a significant shift in the region’s geopolitical dynamics.

This unfolding story underscores the complexities of Africa’s post-colonial relationship with its former colonial powers and the growing demand for self-determination across the continent.