After Chad and Senegal, it is Burkina Faso’s turn to react to the comments made by Emmanuel Macron to the French ambassadors a few days ago. The head of the junta in power in Ouagadougou estimated on Monday January 13 that the French president had “insulted all Africans”, during remarks in which he denounced the “ingratefulness” of certain countries towards France, sparking anger on the continent .
“I think we forgot to say thank you. It doesn’t matter, it will come with time. Ingratitude, I am well placed to know, is a disease that is not transmissible to humans” , the French president declared last week regarding French military interventions against jihadists in the Sahel.
“He insulted all Africans. (…) This is how this gentleman sees Africa, sees Africans. We are not humans in his eyes,” Captain Ibrahim Traoré reacted on Monday during a ceremony of wishes.
Relations between Burkina Faso and France have continued to deteriorate since this 36-year-old captain took power by force in September 2022. Burkina, like its neighbors and allies, Mali and Niger as well governed by putschists hostile to Paris, obtained between 2022 and 2023 the departure of French soldiers from their territories. The three countries have at the same time moved closer to Moscow, just like the Central African Republic which had also demanded the departure of the French in 2022.
“Africans must wake up”
France has decided to reorganize its military presence in Africa in 2025, but certain countries such as Chad and Senegal took the lead in November. Chad, France’s last anchor point in the Sahel, denounced the military cooperation agreement and demanded a departure of French troops by the end of January. Two military bases have already been handed over. Senegal, for its part, called for the closure of French bases and the end of all foreign military presences, according to a timetable to be defined.
And the two countries also criticized the comments of Emmanuel Macron who had also affirmed that France had agreed out of politeness to certain African countries “the primacy of the announcement” of the reorganization of its military system. “I would like to express my indignation at the comments recently made by President Macron which border on contempt towards Africa and Africans. I believe he is in the wrong era,” declared Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno. Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, for his part, denounced “totally erroneous” comments and that Senegal’s decision “results from its sole will”, as a “sovereign country”.
“If you want a break with these imperialist forces, it’s simple, we denounce the agreements. If we don’t denounce the agreements, just say that they are leaving the (military) bases, we have done nothing,” he said. Captain Traoré said on Monday. “Africans must wake up. We must work to be independent. We must decolonize mentalities,” he added.
France must also gradually withdraw its military from Ivory Coast and Gabon, two countries with which relations remain good. A base will remain on the African continent, in Djibouti. With nearly 1,500 men, it is home to the largest French contingent abroad and the military agreements between the two countries were renewed in July 2024.