French President Emmanuel Macron has openly voiced his strong dissatisfaction regarding the state of relations between France and the military regimes across the Sahel region. Characterizing Paris’s efforts as having been «repaid with ingratitude,» the French head of state, in an unusually blunt manner, signaled the conclusion of a diplomatic era spanning over a decade. This direct statement unmistakably targets the ruling juntas in Bamako, Ouagadougou, and Niamey – three capitals that have each, in turn, ended bilateral military cooperation with France.
Presidential remarks signal a definitive Sahelian shift
The candid tone adopted by the Élysée Palace stands in stark contrast to the diplomatic caution typically exercised when addressing African partners. By highlighting France’s substantial commitment, which included significant human and financial sacrifices, President Macron appears intent on placing the onus for this breakdown in relations squarely on the transitional authorities that emerged from the coups d’état in 2020, 2022, and 2023. These comments also resonate with a domestic audience, as the unfolding situation in the Sahel is widely perceived within France as a major strategic setback, particularly since the forced withdrawal of Operation Barkhane in 2022.
Nevertheless, the President’s pointed remarks risk further exacerbating an already delicate situation. In both Bamako and Niamey, the prevailing official narrative has consistently portrayed France’s presence as intrusive, even neo-colonial. Each subsequent statement from the Élysée expressing grievances invariably fuels the sovereignist rhetoric championed by leaders such as Colonels Assimi Goïta, Ibrahim Traoré, and Abdourahamane Tiani. European diplomatic missions, closely observing these developments, are concerned that such direct language could also complicate their remaining channels of communication with Sahelian capitals.
The Alliance of Sahel States and the French disengagement
Since the formation of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) in September 2023, which evolved into a confederation in July 2024, the three military governments have significantly accelerated their diplomatic reorientation. This includes their departure from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), a deepening alignment with Moscow through the Africa Corps (successor to Wagner), and fostering ties with Ankara and Tehran. The geopolitical repositioning of Bamako, Ouagadougou, and Niamey is proceeding at an accelerated pace. Meanwhile, France, which previously maintained significant economic influence through entities like the franc CFA, Orange, TotalEnergies, and Eramet, is witnessing its leverage diminish.
In practical terms, the anticipated departure of the remaining French troops from Chad and Senegal by late 2024 marks the completion of Paris’s military disengagement from the Sahelo-Saharan front. The French operational presence in West Africa, which numbered over 5,000 personnel in 2020, has now been reduced to a minimal footprint, primarily focused on training and intelligence gathering. This significant contraction fundamentally alters the long-standing framework of French influence, which was historically underpinned by military force projection.
Paris’s double-edged rhetoric in the Sahel
By publicly asserting the «ingratitude» of African partners, President Macron risks inadvertently reinforcing a postcolonial narrative that has already resonated strongly with Sahelian public opinion, especially among urban and youth demographics. Regardless of intent, such terminology evokes a paternalistic tone that the French executive had actively sought to dismantle since the Ouagadougou speech in November 2017. The stark contrast between initial pledges to renew the Franco-African relationship and the current declaration of a definitive break is now undeniable.
Furthermore, these presidential remarks come at a time when Paris is actively working to reshape its African partnerships, concentrating on states perceived as more stable, from Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire to Bénin and Mauritanie. This strategy, which largely bypasses the Sahel, necessitates a more measured public discourse to avoid negatively impacting the broader relational spectrum. Several African diplomats, even from allied nations, have privately voiced their discomfort with what they view as an overly personalized approach.
In Dakar, Abidjan, and Nouakchott, these developments are being closely watched, as they underscore France’s challenge in cleanly concluding a chapter without reopening old wounds. The critical question remains: how can Paris re-establish its credibility as an attentive partner on the continent while simultaneously grappling with a Sahelian record it feels has been unfairly perceived? These statements from Emmanuel Macron appear to represent another step in the symbolic closure of France’s engagement in the Sahel.
