French President’s “Ingratitude” Claims Spark Rebukes from African Leaders

French President Emmanuel Macron Photo: Euracitv

January 8, 2025 Hour: 4:23 pm

French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent remarks regarding African nations’ requests for the withdrawal of French troops have ignited a firestorm of criticism from leaders across the continent

. During his annual meeting with French ambassadors, Macron lamented the alleged “ingratitude” of some African leaders, claiming they had “forgotten to say thank you” for France’s role in combating terrorism in the Sahel region. Macron went on to suggest that some leaders would not be in power without the intervention of the French military.

These comments were swiftly met with strong rebuttals. Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, taking to social media platform X, denounced Macron’s assertion, stating that France lacks the capacity and legitimacy to ensure African security and sovereignty.

Sonko further accused France of destabilizing countries like Libya, leading to disastrous consequences for the stability of the Sahel region. He also clarified that Senegal had already made a sovereign decision regarding the departure of French troops, contrary to Macron’s earlier statements implying ongoing negotiations.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s speech dripped with colonial arrogance, a tantrum over France losing its grip in Africa. As more and more African countries reject French imperialism, Macron refuses to face the collapse of French dominance. pic.twitter.com/peCnbvP2rw
— red. (@redstreamnet) January 7, 2025

Chad’s Foreign Minister, Abderaman Koulamallah, echoed Sonko’s sentiments, labeling Macron’s statements as contemptuous toward Africa and Africans. He asserted that French military presence has primarily served Paris’ strategic interests rather than the needs of the Chadian people, who have also demanded the withdrawal of French forces. “Macron should be concerned with the problems of the French people,” Koulamallah stated.

These rebukes follow a wave of troop withdrawal requests from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, all nations under military rule, and an announcement by Ivory Coast President Alassane Ouattara of a “concerted and organized” withdrawal of French troops, including the handover of the Port-Bouet military base.

The controversy has also sparked criticism within France. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the left-wing La France Insoumise party, accused Macron of exacerbating international relations with his comments. His party further condemned Macron’s remarks as “intolerable colonial paternalism.”

Analysts highlight that Macron’s comments come amidst a palpable decline in French influence in West Africa, a region that France colonized and exploited for strategic mineral resources such as uranium. This loss of influence is evident in the increasing calls for an end to French military presence and a push for genuine sovereignty by the countries of the Sahel.

The recent events underscore a growing movement against neo-colonial interventions and a demand for self-determination across the African continent.