Macron’s remarks on French military presence in Africa spark reactions

Mamoudou samoura

On January 6, 2025, during the annual conference of French ambassadors, President Emmanuel Macron expressed frustration over the lack of acknowledgment from African Sahel states for France’s military interventions against Islamist militants since 2013. He suggested that without French support, these nations might have lost their sovereignty.

In response, Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko refuted Macron’s statements, emphasizing that the decision for French military withdrawal was solely Senegal’s sovereign choice, without prior negotiations with France. Sonko criticized the notion that France could ensure Africa’s sovereignty, highlighting past French interventions, such as in Libya, which have led to regional destabilization.

This exchange underscores the evolving dynamics between France and African nations, as countries like Senegal assert their independence and reevaluate historical partnerships.