This development that we now see in Kenya and Nigeria has its roots in the West African states of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.
Mali has seen two military coups since 2020. The first took place in August 2020, which overthrew President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta (also known as IBK, was a prominent Malian politician. Born on January 29, 1945 in Koutiala, he previously served as Prime Minister and President of the National Assembly. Keïta's presidency was marked by challenges, including economic difficulties and security crises due to jihadist violence. He died on January 16, 2022, at the age of 76 in Bamako, after his health deteriorated following a stroke in 2020). The second coup followed in May 2021 under Colonel Assimi Goïta (born c. 198, is a Malian military officer and interim President of Mali since May 28, 2021. He headed the National Committee for the Rescue of the People, which orchestrated the coup against President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta in 2020. After a second coup in 2021, he consolidated his power, claiming he would address political instability and security problems in Mali. Under Goïta's leadership, military authority has increased and a turn toward Russian support, particularly involving the Wagner Group, has occurred amid growing tensions with France and the West).
In 2022, Burkina Faso saw a coup that deposed President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré (born April 25, 1957 in Ouagadougou, is a prominent banker and politician. He was President of Burkina Faso from 2015 until his deposition. Previously, he served as Prime Minister from 1994 to 1996 and President of the National Assembly from 2002 to 2012. Kaboré founded the Popular Movement for Progress party in 2014 after leaving the Congress for Democracy and Progress. His presidency faced significant challenges, particularly on security issues related to jihadist violence in the region). The coup took place in January 2022, led by Lieutenant Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba (born in Ouagadougou in January 1981. He graduated from the École militaire in Paris and holds a master's degree in criminology from the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers (CNAM) in Paris. Damiba also holds a defense expert certificate in management, leadership and strategy.
Damiba is a lieutenant colonel and former commander of the third military region, which includes Ouagadougou, Manga, Koudougou and Fada N'gourma. He is a former member of the Presidential Security Regiment, the former presidential guard of Blaise Compaoré. Damiba left the RSP in 2011 following an army mutiny.
He served as interim president of Burkina Faso until September 30, 2022, when he was overthrown in another coup by fellow military officer Ibrahim Traoré (born March 14, 1988. He is a military officer and interim leader since the September 30, 2022 coup that overthrew Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba. At 36, he is the world's youngest serving head of state. Traoré, who studied geology at the University of Ouagadougou, joined the army in 2009 and rose through the ranks until he became a captain in 2020. He is associated with anti-French sentiments and pro-Russian views and is believed to be working with the Wagner Group to combat jihadist threats in Burkina Faso).
The September 2022 coup was widely welcomed in Burkina Faso, with groups gathering in the capital to express their support.
The most recent coup occurred in Niger on July 26, 2023. President Mohamed Bazoum (born January 1, 1960, he is a Nigerien politician who served as the 10th President of Niger from April 2021 until his deposition. Before his presidency, he held various government positions, including Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Interior. Bazoum, a member of the Arab minority Ouled Slimane, was the first Arab president in Niger's history. He is currently in prison and faces treason charges after the military junta lifted his immunity) was deposed by a group of officers led by General Abdourahmane Tiani. On July 28, Tiani declared himself the new head of state.
Over the last four years, military coups have taken place in several countries in the Sahel region, which are increasingly destabilising the region. Mali and Burkina Faso are also under the control of military governments.
The withdrawal of French troops from Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso has far-reaching consequences for both France and the countries concerned.
France is losing its access to the raw materials in these countries.
Mali is a country rich in natural resources with significant deposits of gold, copper, iron, diamonds, garnet, natural gas, phosphate, bauxite and oil. Gold mining is an important economic factor and accounts for a large proportion of exports. Lithium is also increasingly being mined.
Niger has uranium deposits and is one of the world's largest uranium producers. There are also deposits of gold, oil, coal and bauxite.
Burkina Faso is also rich in mineral resources such as gold, manganese, copper, iron, nickel, lead, zinc and silver. Gold mining is the most important economic factor and accounts for over 70% of exports.
The three countries recently formed an "Alliance of Sahel States" to strengthen cooperation in areas such as security, economy and infrastructure. Faced with political instability and threats from terrorist groups, the countries are trying to make better use of their natural resources and diversify their economies.
With these three states, France loses considerable political and military influence in the Sahel region. This affects France's ability to protect its interests in the region.
The withdrawal is perceived as a failure of French anti-terrorist missions, damaging France's international reputation.
Furthermore, France must reassess its foreign and security policy in Africa and possibly enter into new partnerships.
The consequences for these three countries could be a further deterioration of the security situation, as French troops have played an important role in the fight against jihadist groups. In Mali, jihadist groups have already conquered more territory.
The situation remains dynamic and the long-term effects will only become fully apparent over time.
France will not be thrown out so easily. It has apparently taken steps, one of these steps could be that France is trying to destabilize Nigeria. The Nigerian head of state, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accused France of having repositioned these "DGSE agents". This is an unhealthy desire to destabilize Nigeria, he said, and it has been expanded by the repositioning of all the French DGSE agents who were expelled from Niger. This group, he said, operates in civilian clothes and is supported by people from the Beninese armed forces, who also operate in civilian clothes. This threat is real and Nigerians must understand it. France has a desire to destabilize Nigerians. The Nigerian Prime Minister also stated that there are French bases in Benin. The border with Benin will therefore not be reopened. Benin denies these allegations. The DGSE (Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure) is the French foreign intelligence service and is comparable to the American CIA or the British MI6. DGSE agents are employees who collect information on behalf of the government and represent security interests abroad.
West Africa already has some conflicts of its own. It is brimming with climate change and political and social unrest. Now Ukraine has apparently opened a second front. Just a few days ago, Ukraine carried out an attack on Malian soldiers, killing many soldiers, including those from the Wagner PMC group. After this incident, diplomatic disputes broke out between Ukraine and the two countries of Mali and Niger, over alleged Ukrainian support for terrorist groups in the region. Ukraine is currently active in Africa. Just recently, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Kuleba was in Africa and asked for support for his country. Ukraine is currently supported by the US, EU and NATO. Sergey Eledinov, an independent analyst of regional security issues in Africa, said: "Ukraine has participated in special operations in Africa before."
These are some of the pretexts that have been used to destabilize West African countries.
Africa has a long list of influential personalities, which are briefly presented here. Five influential African revolutionaries and freedom fighters are named who have had a lasting impact on their countries and the continent.
One of them is Kwame Nkrumah from Ghana.
Nkrumah led Ghana to independence from British colonial rule in 1957. As Ghana's first prime minister and president, he promoted Pan-Africanism and played a significant role in the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).
One who was and still is a very important person,
Patrice Lumumba from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Lumumba became the first prime minister of the independent Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire) in 1960.
His time in office was brief, but his influence on Congolese nationalism was profound. He was assassinated on January 17, 1961. His death was the result of a complex conspiracy involving several parties. He was captured by state authorities under Joseph-Désiré Mobutu and handed over to the separatist Katangan authorities under Moïse Tshombe. Lumumba was then tortured and executed with the involvement of Belgian officers. Lumumba's assassination is widely regarded as a significant and tragic event in African history, symbolizing the struggle against colonialism and the fight for independence. The US, which was in the DRC at the time, looked on; he was executed by the Belgians and the US. His body was never found.
Another very important person was Thomas Sankara from Burkina Faso.
Sankara, a charismatic revolutionary leader, was President of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987.
He was a staunch Pan-Africanist and follower of Marxism and was often referred to as the "Che Guevara of Africa". In 1987, Sankara was assassinated in another coup led by his close ally Blaise Compaoré.
Nelson Mandela from South Africa. Perhaps the most famous freedom fighter in Africa. Mandela symbolized the fight against apartheid in South Africa.
After spending 27 years in prison, he was elected South Africa's first black president in 1994 and promoted reconciliation and diversity.
And finally, Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein from Egypt.
Nasser, Egypt's second president, promoted Arab nationalism and socialism.
His leadership during the Suez Crisis and his efforts to modernize Egypt left a lasting legacy.
These leaders forged paths toward independence while grappling with challenges posed by colonial legacies and global geopolitics. Their diverse approaches continue to influence discussions about leadership and governance in Africa today.