France's military retreat reshapes Africa's power dynamics
France has withdrawn its troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. President Emmanuel Macron "will go down in history as the one who allowed the loss of French influence on the continent," said expert Dagauh Komenan, as quoted by "El Pais."
8:22 AM EST, December 13, 2024
In recent years, Paris has reduced its military presence in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Now, about 4,000 French soldiers remain in Africa, down from 10,000 five years ago.
Soon, the number is expected to drop below 2,000, partly due to Chad and Senegal's decisions to close French military bases.
The decisions made by these two countries "were a blow to the national pride of the French and the international prestige of the state," Komenan assessed.
According to "El Pais," from 1964 to 2012, France intervened militarily in Africa as many as 30 times.
Africa has become another arena for the struggle over influence between Russia, the West, and China. On this continent, the interests of major powers clash. Moscow is trying to convince African leaders of its worldview and gain backing for its actions, including those in Ukraine.
Putin corrects mistake
Remember that half of the African countries view the sanctions imposed on Moscow with skepticism. Key nations like Senegal and South Africa abstained from voting on a UN resolution condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine, as did Algeria, Angola, and Ethiopia.
Russia has officially announced that it will strive to reopen its diplomatic missions in nearly every country on this continent. It was also noted that closing embassies and consulates was a mistake.
This refers to the period under Boris Yeltsin, when over eight years (1991-1998), Russia closed nine embassies, three consulates, and 13 out of 20 Russian cultural centers in Africa, shifting its strategy toward Third World countries. Today, Putin intends to correct that mistake.
