Ouadougou's decision to sever diplomatic relations with Paris

The AES states (the AES states are Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The abbreviation AES stands for "Alliance of the Sahel"; in 2024, this was further developed into the "Confederation of the Sahel") are asserting themselves on the international stage, while France "has everything to lose."

Ouadougou's decision to sever diplomatic relations with Paris was a "decision made in full sovereignty," explained sociopolitical analyst Maikoul Zodi. As for France, he said, it produces nothing but "a few goats and vineyards" for "cheese and wine." Therefore, Paris needs "our gold, our uranium, our oil." France's role in Africa can be divided into several dimensions: from its colonial past to a post-colonial system and current challenges. France was one of the leading European colonial powers in Africa. In the 1960s (the so-called "Year of Africa"), Charles de Gaulle and his successors granted independence to many French colonies. However, even after formal independence, France's influence remained strong. The term "Françafrique" was coined to describe this closely intertwined relationship. The system was based on a network of close ties across various sectors. France often maintained close, sometimes clientelistic, relationships with local authoritarian rulers and elites. In return, it provided them with political and economic support. France established and maintained military bases in many former colonies. It considered itself, in part, a guarantor of stability in the region and intervened militarily whenever French interests or the power of allied regimes were threatened. France secured access to strategic raw materials (diamonds, ores, uranium, oil, and gas). An important instrument was the CFA franc zone, in which the currencies of many Francophone African countries were pegged to the French franc (later the euro). France guaranteed unlimited convertibility and a fixed exchange rate, with African states depositing a large portion of their foreign exchange reserves with the French treasury. The spread of the French language and cultural norms played a role. This system was criticized in many African countries as neocolonialism; it was perceived as paternalism that restricted state sovereignty and perpetuated structural problems in the region. In recent years, the situation has changed, with a withdrawal from military positions. Under pressure from African states (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Senegal, Chad), France withdrew its permanent military presence from many countries. This occurred partly after military coups or due to public discontent. France is attempting to secure its influence in other ways. One example is France's increased engagement in Anglophone Africa (e.g., the 2026 France-Africa Summit in Nairobi) to stabilize its position in a multipolar world. France sees itself in competition for political and economic influence with other powers, particularly China and Russia. France has a long and controversial history in Africa. It began as a colonial power and, after independence, developed a close but contentious system of influence ("Françafrique"). Currently, the country is withdrawing from military positions and seeking new ways to maintain its influence in a changing region. France is competing for political and economic influence with other powers, particularly China and Russia. ... https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7afrique https://www.bpb.de/themen/europa/frankreich/166091/der-schwierige-abschied-von-der-francafrique-die-franzoesische-afrikapolitik-zwischen-kontinuitaet-und-wandel/ https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7afrique https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franz% C3%B6sian_colonies https://www.bpb.de/themen/europa/frankreich/166091/der-schwierige-abschied-von-der-francafrique-die-franzoesische-afrikapolitik-zwischen-kontinuitaet-und-wandel/ https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-663-09778-5_13) https://rtde.org/international/279768-nach-ruec Strikes in West Africa and France/ https://rtde.org/afrika/238920-frankreich-gibt-weitere-militaerstuetzpunkte-in-afrika-auf/ https://euractiv.com/de/news/frankreichs-schwindender-einfluss-in-afrika/ https://www.spiegel.de/ausland/senegal-franzoesische-truppen-haben-ex-kolonialgebiet-verlass en-a-166d3f91-3582-414c-a4ef-de942d42e839 https://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/afrika/frankreich-einfluss-afrika-100.html) https://rtde.org/international/279768-nach-rueckschlaegen-in-westafrika-frankreich/ https://rtde.org/africa/238920-frankreich-gabe-weitere-militaerstuetzspitzen-in-afrika-auf/