The French legacy

Half of the 54 states of the African Union are former French colonies. As we perhaps saw this summer, when the coup in Niger captured the interest of the main newspapers for a few days , in 20 sub-Saharan countries the French language and economic interests are dominant. A look at the economic and general situation of the continent highlights that none of the ten richest states in Africa are French in culture.

Indeed, six of the 10 poorest nations on the continent are French-speaking (the very poor Eritrea and Somalia are Italian-speaking, let's not forget). The fundamental fact is that 11 of the 14 countries that use the CFA Franc as their currency linked to the French Franc of the past are considered the least developed, therefore when the economy is based on the currency wanted by the French to grant independence poverty is generated. So Africa has a problem with France, but not only with its language, its institutions and its economic influence. Because in Africa France means Europe and democracy. So everything that is a value for us, in the Sahel for example, becomes synonymous with oppression. This is why we prefer the strong man perhaps in uniform who promises food, work and a bit of dignity to democratic institutions. France has always defended its interests and has promised to fight with its army the jihadism which endangers the security of these countries and which enjoys a certain popular consensus because it has obviously become anti-French and behind the hostility towards Christians and There is hostility to the French in Europe precisely because the French are identified with democracy, Europe and also with the cross. France has lost influence and objectively is not the cause of all the evils in the French-speaking nations where Russians and Chinese are taking its place. We will have to see how the new Wagner, the pro-Russian longa manus mercenaries of the Kremlin, will exploit the positions abandoned by the French. Meanwhile, the military juntas in Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, which came to power through coups d'état in the last three years, have signed a mutual defense agreement. Which effectively excludes France from the region and taking into account that the UN mission in Mali is being withdrawn and will disappear by the end of 2023, a future conflict like the one in Sudan could be unleashed here. In the Sahel we could have another piece of piecemeal world war which could cause new migrations and which could be managed by pro-Russian mercenaries who are certainly no friends of the European Union.

What can change the minds of French-speaking Africans who identify France with Europe? We need a change of direction from the Elysée and perhaps Italy can help by putting aside old spiteful grudges and rivalries in Africa. For example, France could renounce its permanent seat in the UN Security Council which it received as the winner of the Second World War in favor of the European Union. This is a proposal that has been around for years and in this way the European Union would be forced to have a much closer and more unitary foreign policy and would have adequate representation at the UN to be used to build peace also politically. For this reason, it is necessary to put aside residual nationalisms in favor of peace. On the ground, when there is an opportunity, it will be up to civil society to intensify peer diplomacy based on solidarity and cooperation between peers to achieve development and dignity. French-speaking Africa asks for this and nothing else, which will only find a future with peace.


Paolo Lambruschi
NP October 2023