French president Emmanuel Macron is currently on an Africa mission to delineate the contours of his country’s new security policy with countries on the continent, ranging from Guinea Bissau in West Africa to Cameroon in the Central Africa region.
By Ibrahima Dione
Re-elected at the end of April for a second five-year term, Mr. Macron has launched a new diplomatic offensive to strengthen France’s influence in Africa.
Since he took office, he has visited Cameroon, Benin and Guinea-Bissau for the first time, with a high-powered delegation of business persons who have been briefed on snapping up opportunities available in Africa.
France, which in recent years has witnessed something of a backlash in West Africa where its military intervenes in the name of fighting terrorism, is turning particularly to Central Africa.
This is a region which President Macron wants to spend more time focusing on during his new term in office.
But this hegemony is being tested by emerging nations like China and Russia who are pushing into Africa to compete with French interests.
“It is up to us to be better, more efficient and to work together for greater transparency of markets,” said the French leader at a press conference witnessed by his Cameroonian counterpart, Paul Biya on Tuesday.
Russia in the line of fire
Russia, a political and military power is increasingly turning its sight on Africa.
In Western Europe, particularly France, Moscow’s scheme to achieve its ends is anything but acceptable.
“We would be naïve not to mention Russia’s hybrid presence in Africa, which involves the development of propaganda. Russia has spread a lot of false information through its Russia Today and Sputnik media, which we have just banned in Europe. It has completed its diplomatic offer with the interventions of the Wagner militia. What we have seen in recent years in the Central African Republic and Mali is very worrying because these interventions have nothing to do with classic cooperation,” Emmanuel Macron said.
The Elysée Palace (French Presidency) openly attacked Russia which, according to Paris, backs “weakened political powers or juntas that have no political legitimacy in exchange for the capture of raw materials and often with abuses documented by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.”
When he found himself answering awkward questions about a five-year renewable defense agreement with Russia, Cameroon’s President Biya could only latch onto the obvious, that is that Yaoundé and Moscow have “long-standing diplomatic relations.”
To gain points in the security battle, France is committed to the countries of Central Africa, around the Lake Chad Basin, blighted by the jihadist onslaught.
“In Africa, we have not only delivered arms, we have also sent troops at the request of Mali to defend its sovereignty. If today there is not a territorial caliphate there, it is because there was the French Army (Operation Serval then Barkhane). Dozens of our troops have died in Africa to fight against terrorism,” Macron added.
Same drama played out in Benin
On Wednesday, at the Marina Palace in Cotonou, in the company of President Patrice Talon, Emmanuel Macron again spoke of “France’s historic commitment to the fight against terrorism alongside Africans.”
In the specific case of Benin, which is under attack in its northern border area with Burkina Faso, France “will support development strategies in the most vulnerable areas and those most exposed to attempts by terrorist groups to assert themselves”.
Macron declared: ”In accordance with the security reorganization that we have adopted at the regional level, we will be there to meet your requests in terms of training, intelligence and equipment”.
In the same vein, he promised, “the pickups, mine clearance equipment, bulletproof vests, night vision equipment requested by Benin will be delivered shortly. For the surveillance drones and others, we will move forward in the coming weeks.”
At the regional level, France welcomes the Accra Initiative launched in September 2017 by Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Togo in response to violent extremism.
“I will make myself available to attend a meeting of the countries that make it up. The philosophy of the French presence is basically based on two key principles: we intervene in support and on request. But the military response must be accompanied by local development policies,” Emmanuel Macron added.
The French leader, after Cameroon and Benin has been received in Guinea-Bissau by its leader Umaro Sissoco Embalo, the current President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
ID/fss/as/APA