Macron Announces Reduced French Military Presence in Africa

France will significantly reduce its military presence in Africa.

The country's bases in the region will be 'co-administered' with local army forces, according to the president's statement.

In a speech at the Elysee presidential palace, French President Emmanuel Macron announced his plans to reduce the number of French troops in Africa, as part of a new security partnership with African nations. He also pledged to implement more ambitious economic policies to bolster France's declining influence in the continent.

Macron acknowledged the need for France to move away from its colonial past and treat African nations as partners with whom it shares interests and responsibilities. He stated that the continent is no longer France's "back yard."

The French president promised a "new security partnership" that would involve a reduced military presence on the continent. While French military bases in Africa would not be closed, they would be transformed based on the needs expressed by African partners.

Macron emphasized that France's role was not to fix all problems in Africa, and that the country's military presence would be complemented by investments in education and training. French and African staff would jointly manage bases, schools, and academies.

Macron's announcement is part of a broader effort to redefine France's relationship with Africa, moving away from a paternalistic approach towards one based on mutual respect and partnership.

French President Emmanuel Macron's recent tour of Africa highlighted the challenges facing France's influence on the continent. Anti-French sentiment is growing in several West and North African countries, and historical economic ties between France and the region are under pressure from the commercial presence of Russia, China, and Turkey.

Macron acknowledged that Africa is now a "field of competition" and urged French businesses to "wake up" and get involved. Macron also denounced Russian private military contractors of the Wagner group as "criminal mercenaries" who "predate" on natural resources and commit violence against local populations. French troops have withdrawn from Mali and Burkina Faso in recent years, leading to questions about French policies in the region.

The French president's trip to central Africa has faced questions from opposition activists in Gabon and Congo, who see it as offering support to long-ruling families ahead of presidential elections.

Macron's office stressed that he is traveling to Gabon mainly to attend a climate-related summit on the preservation of forests and to improve economic and cultural relations with neighboring countries.

The French president also denounced the offensive by the M23 rebel group linked with neighboring Rwanda in east Congo as an "unacceptable regression."