French President Emmanuel Macron says France is still awaiting a “thank you” from African leaders for kicking out jihadists from their countries.
Macron was speaking on Monday, January 6, in a message to French diplomats.
France, whose soldiers are being kicked out of Africa, says African leaders are ungrateful.
“I think that they forgot to thank us, but that’s ok; it will come in time,” said President Macron.
Macron Credits France for Sovereignty of Former Colonies
France colonised most countries in West and Central Africa but reluctantly liberated them in the early 1960s.
Despite granting its colonies independence, the country maintained a grip on their economies through the francs CFA.
France stationed its troops and even ensured their currency is controlled.
Following numerous military takeovers in these countries, which many have blamed on France, Islamist jihadist groups started emerging.
The jihadists are based in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Chad, Cameroon, and Central Africa.
In what looked like a rescue offer, France stationed thousands of its troops in most of these countries.
President Macron says French military presence had helped these countries not to lose their sovereignty to jihadists.
“None of them would have a sovereign state if the French army had not deployed in this region,” Macron said added.
However, jihadists continued to gain territory in Burkina Faso and regroup in others countries, despite France’s presence.
In a recent turn of events, and with Macron in power, French influence has dwindled in its former colonies.
Thousands of French troops are packing out of West Africa after the host countries asked them to leave.
Not Leaving Africa
According to Macron, France is reorganizing itself on how to relate with Africa.
Asked whether this was the end of France in Africa, Macron said: “France is not on the back foot in Africa; it is just lucid and reorganising itself.”
French influence in Africa in recent years has continued dwindle, with key allies like Ivory Coast recently chasing out French soldiers.
On January 1, the country said French soldiers in the country would leave this January.
This added to a list of other countries that have kicked out French soldiers: Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Senegal and Chad.
Military takeovers in some of these countries have caused a shift from France to Russia instead.
The military leaders of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso see France as the architect of underdevelopment and raging conflicts in the Sahel.
