African leaders have strongly criticized French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent comments suggesting that they have forgotten to express gratitude for France’s historical role in the region.
On Tuesday, Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Déby posted a speech on Facebook expressing his anger over Macron’s contemptuous remarks toward Africa, stating, “I believe he is living in the wrong era.” Senegal’s Prime Minister, Ousmane Sonko, also took to Facebook the night before, reminding the public that “France has neither the capacity nor the legitimacy to guarantee the sovereignty of African countries.”
This backlash follows Macron’s remarks at a New Year’s diplomatic reception, claiming that African leaders lacked the courage to acknowledge France’s contributions. He argued that without French military intervention, there would be no sovereign nations in the region today. Macron reportedly added, “It seems someone has forgotten to say thank you.”
For decades, France has maintained a military presence in many of its former African colonies, often justifying this presence by citing the need to combat extremist groups. However, as Russian influence grew and new governments seeking to distance themselves from the West came to power, France began pulling back its forces. Since 2022, countries in the Sahel region, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, which have experienced military coups, have expelled all French troops. Chad, where 1,000 French soldiers are stationed, is set to complete its withdrawal by the end of this month. Senegal also announced on December 27 that it would shut down all foreign military bases, and on January 1, Ivory Coast’s president declared plans to withdraw French forces in his New Year’s address.
Some analysts believe Macron’s comments could accelerate the decline of French influence in Africa, mainly as anti-French sentiment has grown in countries with a history of French colonial rule. With many African nations turning toward Russia and other partners, the backlash to Macron’s words may signal a deeper shift away from France in the region.