Today, Wednesday, French President Emmanuel Macron begins an African tour that will last until March 5, including 4 countries: Gabon, Angola, Congo-Brazzaville and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The visit coincides with France’s announcement of a new strategy to deal with the brown continent, which includes reducing the number of French forces present in several countries, and strengthening the cooperative partnership in order to confront the growing Chinese and Russian influence within the countries of the continent.
And the Elysee announced, on Thursday, that Macron will participate in Libreville, Gabon, on March 1 and 2, in the “One Forest Summit” dedicated to preserving and enhancing the forests of the Congo River Basin.
In a speech delivered by the French President from the Elysee Palace, on Monday, he called for “humility” and “responsibility”, rejecting the strategic “competition” imposed by, according to him, those who settle there with their “armies and mercenaries”, in reference to Russia and the “Wagner” group. Military forces, especially in Central Africa and Mali, despite Bamako’s exile.
“We must build a new balanced, reciprocal and responsible relationship with the countries of the continent,” Macron said on the eve of his African tour.
He pointed out that “Africa is not an area of influence, and we must move from the logic of aid to the logic of investment.”
Paris strategy in the brown continent
In an interview with “Sky News Arabia”, the political analyst specialized in African affairs, Mohamed Madi Gabakti, said that the French strategy in the brown continent depends mainly on achieving the interests of Paris, and it is modified according to what is required by French interests.
According to Gabacti, the French president chose to visit a number of African countries that do not criticize France at the present time, in order to create more spaces to enhance cooperation and partnerships, and to deepen French influence within those countries as well.
Among the thorny issues awaiting Macron on his African tour is the abolition of laws that entrench the values of French colonialism in countries on the continent, and the immediate departure of all French military forces.
Gabacti believes that any visit by a French president to Africa that does not solve these two problems is a simple tourist tour, as African expectations are high, indicating that they want to receive military equipment, like Ukraine, instead of foreign forces.
Macron is expected to continue his tour in Brazzaville, Congo, on the second of March as well, and then in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the third and fourth of the same month.
The French presidency said that his visit to Kinshasa will be devoted to “deepening Franco-Congolese relations in the fields of education, health, research, culture and defense.”