How to rebuild relations between France and Africa?

“To renew our relationship with Africa, we should start by really knowing it”

Catherine Coquery-Vidrovitchhistorian, author of “Choice of Africa” ​​(La Découverte, 2021)

“Emmanuel Macron can no longer go to West Africa because of anti-French sentiment which makes any trip extremely difficult and politically risky. So he chose to go to Central Africa where that sentiment is far less strong, but where we find some of the most appalling leaders and dictators on the continent. The Bongo family, in power since 1967, tore Gabon to pieces; Sassou-Nguesso did the same in the Republic of Congo.

The DR-Congo is still ruled by a president who is not democratically elected. This is also the case with the Angolan president. And I remind you that ten months ago, Macron was in Cameroon ruled with an iron fist by Paul Biya since 1981. In short, all these regimes are simply appalling! Of course, you can go there personally, but when you are a Head of State and you come to visit these Heads of State, then necessarily you give them credit.

By doing this, Emmanuel Macron perpetuates, without perhaps realizing it, the French policy on the continent put in place under General de Gaulle. The French don’t know it, but the Africans see it and see it. They are still very knowledgeable about their history. They see repeated today what was done yesterday. They no longer allow themselves to be fooled by words and discourses of rupture that gestures, visits, images belie.

Clearly, the French president is ill-advised on African issues. He himself is ignorant of the reality of the continent, he knows neither the history, nor the diversity, nor the complexity, nor the present. And he has above all surrounded himself with advisers who themselves are unaware of the realities, the modernity of African societies, the richness of intellectual life.

The only weapon left to France is its culture. But for the rest, it hasn’t seemed more attractive than China, Turkey or the Gulf countries for a long time. What Paris has still not understood is that African states, like all states in the world, think and act first and foremost according to their own interests. This is why what should be changed immediately are the prince’s advisers. Look for it on the side of those who are really inserted in the continent, first and foremost in the universities.

More profoundly, what really needs to change is the education of the French about Africa. The history of this continent and the history of France on this continent are a blind spot in our school curricula. In the academic corpus of Emmanuel Macron, as in that of the French ambassadors, the place of this teaching was and remains nil or almost nil. This lack of culture, training and experience is the first obstacle to the deep and sincere refoundation of relations between the continent and France. »

“Ban the terms development and aid”

Laurent Bigotformer diplomat, specialist in Africa

“In France, the African continent is essentialized. We talk about Africa when we should say the Africas. In the same way, there are different currents in public opinion in African countries, for or against the presence of France, but also an indifferent opinion. In my opinion, three preconditions must be respected in order to rebuild the relationship between France and Africa.

First, stop unilateralism: in France, Africa is considered as if it were only an object and its citizens subjects. Second, we must end the double standard of human rights and democracy. We must stop being more demanding with Africa than with China and Saudi Arabia. Even within the African continent, we see differences in treatment: we are not going to accept in Mali what we can accept in Chad.

Finally, and this is the most important condition, we must put an end to the belief, inherited from Jules Ferry, of the civilizing mission of the white man in Africa. The terms development and aid must be banished from speeches, as if we were in a high position and they were low. This civilizing mission is a psychological spring, France wants to model Africa in its image. France has confused French hegemony in Africa with universalism. We don’t have this paternalistic and condescending discourse with other emerging countries.

France has a common history with Africa, and this French-speaking Africa is also expressed on French territory. France’s African ambition is also aimed at the African diaspora in France. The African diaspora – whether people are immigrants (regular or not), dual nationals or of African origin – suffers from discrimination.

Racism, violence and laws against foreigners, such as the law on separatism, affect the way France is perceived on the continent. France’s African policy begins in France. Today, the connection between individuals is such that it is impossible to separate internal and external politics. As with migration policies, we can exercise a firm policy with migrants while being dignified, which is not currently the case, and this damages our image.

To rebuild the relationship between Africa and France, we must take into consideration Africanity in France as it is expressed on the territory. If you can’t convince the African diaspora in France, how do you want to convince Africans in Africa? »

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