{"id":4014,"date":"2026-01-27T14:05:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-27T14:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/en\/home\/macron-rebuilding-france-africa-ties-beyond-colonial-past"},"modified":"2026-01-27T15:19:17","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T15:19:17","slug":"macron-rebuilding-france-africa-ties-beyond-colonial-past","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/en\/policy\/macron-rebuilding-france-africa-ties-beyond-colonial-past","title":{"rendered":"Macron: Rebuilding France\u2013Africa Ties Beyond Colonial Past"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"ap-article-header-tag\"> <strong>Africa-Press. <\/strong> <\/span>In a new documentary titled \u201cFrance-Africa: The Divorce\u201d, broadcast by the French National Assembly, President Emmanuel Macron stated that since his arrival at the E\u0301lyse\u0301e Palace in 2017, he has been working to \u201crebuild\u201d France\u2019s relationship with the African continent by breaking with what he described as the logic inherited from the colonial era.<\/p>\n<p>Macron, who describes himself as the first French president born after the colonial period ended, emphasized that \u201cthree-quarters\u201d of Africa\u2019s population did not live through that era. He explained that he aims to move beyond a relationship based on the past, acknowledging historical facts without it being framed as \u201crepentance\u201d or a \u201ccollective apology.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The French president noted that he has gradually ended the so-called postcolonial systems, asserting that he bears the consequences of this decision despite the criticisms it generates. He denied that this represents a retreat of France\u2019s role in Africa, adding that some criticisms reflect expectations of a return of interventions or influence, which is no longer an option for Paris.<\/p>\n<p><b>French withdrawal and rising Russian influence<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Macron also addressed the withdrawal of French forces from several African countries, particularly in the Sahel region, noting that some military authorities have turned closer to Russia. He cited Mali as an example, where authorities from the coup d\u2019e\u0301tat turned to Moscow to fill a \u201csecurity void\u201d after ending cooperation with France. He described this approach as reflecting \u201cincapable national political systems,\u201d warning that civilians are the first to pay the price.<\/p>\n<p>Macron accused Russia of pursuing a \u201cnew colonial policy,\u201d stating that its security support, especially through the Wagner Group, is not aimed at development or cooperation but at protecting regimes in exchange for natural resources and long-term influence.<\/p>\n<p>By contrast, the French president stressed that France no longer seeks to support or overthrow regimes, nor to engage in colonial-style influence struggles. He affirmed that Paris \u201ctakes note\u201d of local authorities\u2019 decisions if they end cooperation and withdraws without confrontation.<\/p>\n<p><b>Benin: a model of stable relations<\/b><\/p>\n<p>Macron cited Benin as a model for the type of relationship he seeks with African countries, noting that cooperation with Cotonou remains institutional, unlike in some Sahel countries. He emphasized that the partnership is based on continuous political dialogue and security cooperation against the rise of armed groups. He also referenced a past controversy regarding remarks he made in an informal meeting with the Beninese president, confirming that those comments did not affect bilateral relations or create diplomatic tensions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ap-article-footer-note\">Find more news and analyses on <span class=\"ap-highlight-country\">Africa<\/span> on the <span class=\"ap-highlight-brand\">Africa Press<\/span> website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Africa-Press. In a new documentary titled \u201cFrance-Africa: The Divorce\u201d, broadcast by the French National Assembly, President Emmanuel Macron stated that since his arrival at the E\u0301lyse\u0301e Palace in 2017, he has been working to \u201crebuild\u201d France\u2019s relationship with the African continent by breaking with what he described as the logic inherited from the colonial era. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":4012,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[120],"class_list":{"0":"post-4014","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-policy","8":"tag-africa"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.1 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Macron: Rebuilding France\u2013Africa Ties Beyond Colonial Past - Africa Press English<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"-article-header-tag&quot;&gt; Africa-Press. 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