Macron Charges African Countries with Lack of Gratitude
France’s Macron has faced backlash from multiple African nations following his request for gratitude regarding his country's military actions in the Sahel region. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Chad and Senegal have responded sharply to French President Emmanuel Macron, with one premier describing his comments as indicative of contempt towards Africa.
Macron faced criticism from several African nations after he remarked on Monday that they had not shown sufficient gratitude for France's military efforts in the region. He emphasized that Paris was still awaiting appreciation from the Sahel states for protecting them against militant threats.
During an annual conference for French ambassadors, Macron defended France's interventions in the Sahel, a vast area south of the Sahara where many of its former colonies are situated. He stated, “I think that they forgot to thank us, but that’s ok, it will come in time.” He further asserted that no African nation supposedly aided by France during its military operations that began in 2013 would have been able to repel extremist attacks without that support, claiming, “None of them would have a sovereign state if the French army had not deployed in this region.”
In response to an Islamic insurgency threatening Mali's capital, Bamako, France deployed troops in 2013 and later began Operation Barkhane, a counterinsurgency initiative in the Sahel that involved a force of 3,000 troops.
However, France has seen its presence in West Africa diminish in recent years, with countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger expelling French forces after military coups. Chad ended its defense cooperation agreement with France in November, while Senegal revealed plans to close all French military bases on its soil by the end of 2025. Meanwhile, Ivory Coast, another former French colony, has requested the withdrawal of local French troops by January 1 as part of a regional trend reassessing military ties with former colonial powers.
Responding to Macron's statements, the French president insisted that France had not been effectively expelled but was undergoing a reorganization, declaring, “No, France is not on the back foot in Africa, it is just lucid and reorganizing itself.”
Chad’s foreign minister, Abderaman Koulamallah, condemned Macron's remarks, stating that they reflect “a contemptuous attitude towards Africa and Africans.” He added that the French government “had to learn to respect Africans,” and remarked that France's involvement in Chad has often prioritized its own strategic interests over the sustainable development of the Chadian people.
Senegal’s prime minister, Ousmane Sonko, also criticized Macron’s statements, emphasizing that “France has neither the capacity nor the legitimacy to assure Africa’s security or sovereignty.” He contested the notion of a military reorganization in the region as “completely false” and affirmed that Senegal’s decision to withdraw French troops was rooted in its determination as an independent and sovereign nation.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
Macron faced criticism from several African nations after he remarked on Monday that they had not shown sufficient gratitude for France's military efforts in the region. He emphasized that Paris was still awaiting appreciation from the Sahel states for protecting them against militant threats.
During an annual conference for French ambassadors, Macron defended France's interventions in the Sahel, a vast area south of the Sahara where many of its former colonies are situated. He stated, “I think that they forgot to thank us, but that’s ok, it will come in time.” He further asserted that no African nation supposedly aided by France during its military operations that began in 2013 would have been able to repel extremist attacks without that support, claiming, “None of them would have a sovereign state if the French army had not deployed in this region.”
In response to an Islamic insurgency threatening Mali's capital, Bamako, France deployed troops in 2013 and later began Operation Barkhane, a counterinsurgency initiative in the Sahel that involved a force of 3,000 troops.
However, France has seen its presence in West Africa diminish in recent years, with countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger expelling French forces after military coups. Chad ended its defense cooperation agreement with France in November, while Senegal revealed plans to close all French military bases on its soil by the end of 2025. Meanwhile, Ivory Coast, another former French colony, has requested the withdrawal of local French troops by January 1 as part of a regional trend reassessing military ties with former colonial powers.
Responding to Macron's statements, the French president insisted that France had not been effectively expelled but was undergoing a reorganization, declaring, “No, France is not on the back foot in Africa, it is just lucid and reorganizing itself.”
Chad’s foreign minister, Abderaman Koulamallah, condemned Macron's remarks, stating that they reflect “a contemptuous attitude towards Africa and Africans.” He added that the French government “had to learn to respect Africans,” and remarked that France's involvement in Chad has often prioritized its own strategic interests over the sustainable development of the Chadian people.
Senegal’s prime minister, Ousmane Sonko, also criticized Macron’s statements, emphasizing that “France has neither the capacity nor the legitimacy to assure Africa’s security or sovereignty.” He contested the notion of a military reorganization in the region as “completely false” and affirmed that Senegal’s decision to withdraw French troops was rooted in its determination as an independent and sovereign nation.
Frederick R Cook for TROIB News
