France’s New Military Strategy in Africa: A deceptive withdrawal or continued colonial grip? By Farida Bemba Nabourema

On November 6, Jean-Marie Bockel, an envoy of the French government, presented a report on France’s so-called “new military strategy” in Africa. This strategy, which involves reducing French troops in Gabon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Chad, is being framed as a voluntary restructuring of its foreign policy, but make no mistake, this is not a withdrawal. It is yet another calculated move to maintain France’s stranglehold on the continent under the guise of cooperation and respect for sovereignty. The question Africans must ask is simple, can a colonizer truly volunteer to relinquish power?

France plans to cut its troops to 100 in Gabon (independence on August 17, 1960, down from 350), 100 in Senegal (independence on April 4, 1960, down from 350), 100 in Côte d’Ivoire (independence on August 7, 1960, down from 600), and 300 in Chad (independence on August 11, 1960, down from 1,000). French officials spin this reduction as a gesture of goodwill and modernization, but history teaches us that such moves are rarely altruistic. This is a tactic, a sleight of hand to pacify growing anti-French sentiment while solidifying its covert influence. African nations, especially those outside the Francophone bloc who may not be as familiar with France’s manipulative games, must read between the lines.

This so-called withdrawal is eerily reminiscent of the colonial strategies of the 1950s and 1960s. When Togo (independence on April 27, 1960) voted for independence on April 27, 1958, with 97% of the population rejecting French control, the colonizer panicked. Guinea (independence on October 2, 1958) followed five months later, declaring independence on September 28, 1958. Cameroon (independence on January 1, 1960) and Algeria (independence on July 5, 1962) rose in resistance, facing unspeakable brutality. Over 250,000 Cameroonians were massacred, and over a million Algerians lost their lives. France saw the writing on the wall and devised a strategy to save face.

Charles de Gaulle, then President of France, famously remarked that it was cheaper and wiser to pretend to leave rather than to be chased out. His government orchestrated fake independence ceremonies in August 1960, selecting puppet leaders in Gabon (August 17, 1960), Benin (August 1, 1960), Côte d’Ivoire (August 7, 1960), Chad (August 11, 1960), Niger (August 3, 1960), Burkina Faso (August 5, 1960), and the Central African Republic (August 13, 1960). All these independence dates were deliberately scheduled in the same month so that de Gaulle could take a single month-long trip across Africa and preside over the ceremonies.

This strategy gave the illusion of a grand and coordinated gesture of decolonization, while in reality, it was a cynical ploy to maintain French dominance under the guise of granting freedom. Nationalist leaders were jailed, assassinated, or exiled. Behind the façade of independence, France kept control of key economic sectors through the infamous colonial pact, which locked African nations into a system of dependency. They imposed the CFA franc, deployed military bases, and ensured that African armies remained trained and equipped by French forces to guarantee loyalty to Paris. Independence was nothing more than a façade, a cruel joke played on millions of Africans.

Today, Emmanuel Macron is following the same playbook. He claims to redefine relations with African nations, but his actions speak louder than his words. By reducing visible troop numbers and shifting to covert operations, training programs, and economic levers, France is not leaving, it is simply changing tactics. Macron spoke openly about his strategy in reports to the French National Assembly. This is 2024, not 1960, information travels faster, and scrutiny is higher. Yet, the essence of France’s actions remains unchanged, keep Africa shackled while pretending to set it free.

Africans must remain vigilant. Let us not be deceived by the smooth words and hollow promises of Franc. The decline of French influence in Africa did not start today. It began during Nicolas Sarkozy’s era, worsened under François Hollande, and has reached a critical point under Emmanuel Macron. Yet, each leader has employed new tactics to maintain France’s control over the continent, adapting their strategies to shifting dynamics.

In 2013, François Hollande admitted in a rare moment of candor that France was losing its grip on Francophone Africa. But instead of planning to reconsider their exploitative policies, France devised a plan to reconquer Africa. Hollande’s strategy was not only to reassert control over Francophone nations but also to extend France’s influence into Anglophone countries such as Ghana and Nigeria, and Lusophone nations, particularly Angola. France understood that its traditional power bases were weakening, and to maintain relevance, it needed to expand into new territories.

When Emmanuel Macron became president, he reinforced this plan with renewed aggression. Macron targeted Ghana and Nigeria with precision, recognizing their economic and geopolitical weight in West Africa. French officials openly declared their goal, if they could extend the CFA franc (France’s colonial currency) to these nations, they would secure their economic domination of the region for decades.

To execute this plan, France hijacked the longstanding ECOWAS initiative to create a common currency called the ECO. For decades, Francophone African nations under the French-controlled UEMOA, West African Economic and Monetary Union, had resisted ECOWAS’ efforts to establish a truly independent regional currency. But as ECOWAS gained traction, France moved quickly to co-opt the project. They announced plans to rebrand the CFA franc as the ECO, stealing the name and diluting the vision of an independent West African currency.
Sadly, sensationalism led people into applauding such move all over the continent branding it as “ France dropping its colonial currency when in reality, they are expanding it”.

Nigeria, the largest economy in Africa, along with other Anglophone nations, rejected this French-led ECO. However, the French know their strategy does not require mass approval through a referendum on continent dominated by authoritarian rule. All they need is weak and complicit leaders and they are currently smooth talking Nigeria . All it takes is a head of state seeking foreign legitimacy or aid/loans to sign onto the project, and France will have the foothold it needs to reassert its influence.

Africans must remain vigilant. The French strategy is clear, adapt, co-opt, and control. Macron’s actions are not about empowering Africa, but about preserving French dominance under a new guise. France thrives on division, exploiting linguistic and economic disparities to weaken African solidarity. Non-Francophone Africans must pay closer attention to French policies and propaganda. Read Françafrique news critically, analyze their moves with suspicion, and understand the historical patterns of deceit that stretch across decades.

Let us not forget, France will not willingly loosen its grip on Africa. Their retreat is always tactical, and their generosity is always conditional. We cannot be fooled twice. It is up to Africans to organize, educate, and resist.