The disruption is now in full swing, with more and more African countries, especially in the Sahel region of northern and west Africa, their former colonial power, rejecting the so -called fringe policy by France.
The term refers to a complex and controversial network of political, iconomic, social and military relations and describes a child of specialized special relations characterized by the ongoing French effects in the thesis, its pre -African colonies.
Often as a necolonial, the Africa policy of France is under large -scale political and popular pressure, and the fight is openly challenging Paris’s military, diplomatic and economic footprint in Africa.
Sahel region extends from Sahara Desert to Savannah in the north, including several countries including Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Chad.
Antony Glasar is a French journalist and former Paris -based magazine. Africa intelligence – A major publication on Africa with versions in English and French.
Hey French companies enjoyed “preferential treatment” with operations in the field, especially during the Cold War era due to the fringe policy.
“He thought he was at home in Africa,” he told DW, and ignored recent realities as the fact that Africa had “become global and France has not seen China coming.”
A discovery strong reality, he said, the Chinese company is now 25% market share in French -speaking Africa, while France has a “between 7% and 7%”.
In addition, the French multinational nuclear fuel corporation Orano announced last September that its entry in Northern Niger would suspend production in the uranium mine, as its Nigerian subsidiary, due to the financial differences faced by Somier.
The decision came due to the closure of the boundary between Benin to July 2023 coup, all uranium exports were blocked, Orano said statementJoin: “Despite efforts to find alternative possibilities to export uranium produced by Soma and re -launch commercial activities, all proposals made for Nigeria officials remain inappropriate.”
In June 2024, Orano lost his mining license for Imoren uranium due to a military government’s decision, which canceled the license after a period of station and ultimatum.
Located at a distance of about 160 kilometers (100 mi) from Agadez – the largest city of Central Niger – Emoren mine is one of the world’s largest uranium deposits. The mining was launched by the French nuclear group Areva, which was reproduced as Orano in 2018, which mounted the mine in 2015 due to an inappropriate market situation.
Since then, stresses have depicted the fragility of a system in which military and diplomatic appearance has supported economic interests.
Paris is looking for new relationships
Beyond the uranium region, the entire model of the influence of France is being unstable, affecting areas such as infrastructure, telecommunications, energy and public functions – all symbols of France’s appearance that are now regular challenges.
In February 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron introduced a new strategy, offering new forms of “our future The Africa-France Partnership” and partnership.
Unveiled by Macron before her visit to Central Africa, the strategy advocates leaving the old paradigms and gives a new emphasis on economic and business relations rather than focusing on security issues. The central idea of this new model is based on an infection from the central idea “A Logic of Eds of aid to a Logic of Solidarity Investments and Partnership”, and means “symbiotic relationship” for all parties is beneficial.
France considered his “backyard” for a long time, disappearing against the change in Sahel region.
Furthermore, Africa is no longer the exclusive trade playground of France as a whole. Countries like Turkey, Russia, China and even Germany are advancing their positions, forcing French companies to re -read their business policy if they want to survive in a fast competitive environment.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a French corporate advisor, in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, the real French appearance was “already frontal before the recent tension” with its colonial motherland.
In the mining industry, he said, the main players are now from Australia or Canada, such as mining giant Barrical Mining Corporation in Toronto. “The perception that France is omnipresent, stronger than reality,” Hey said.
He said that behind the “official posture”, a strategy was becoming clear: “Maintain an appearance, but through indirect means.”
French companies will now try to maintain market share by launching the construction of project companies under the joint venture, local partnership or local law.
He said, “Now there is a dynamic in which these companies are more collaborating with local partners, establishing shared structures. It is a way to be active that avoids visibility on the head,” he said.
Growing competition in Africa
The director of the Afrocentricity Think Tank, Yaves Aao Amazo, thinks that the open door of the French companies is for a new alliance, as in African countries now in African countries, now “will be the ability to change these companies and partners.”
“China, Turkish and other immediate players are already involved. But this means to accept new, opce connections, and manage the context of risks [such as] Political instability, terrorism and legal uncertainty, “he told DW.
Some French seems mandatory for multinational corporations well, others are still betting on reviving their business strategies.
according to a Report Offering in the magazine magazine Offshore technologyFor example, Energy is trying to find a new position in English and Portugue -speaking countries, including giants Totalrargis, Kenya, South Africa, Namibia and Angola.
But the competition is fierce there, and France can no longer rely on a historical benefit in thesis countries. Amazo said that apart from questions of validity and social responsibility, they play even more roles.
“The actual question is one of the mentality. If companies want to remain reliable, they have to prove that they are locally co-confident and sharing the benefits, rather than going alone with its resources.”
With the era of special relations of Franfrics between France and its former African colonies, there are now indications that French multinational companies are trying to change the content, by cooperating more strongly with local partners or moving operations in Africa.
No matter what they do or where they go, validity remains their main capital and it should be achieved again.
Edited by: Uwe Hessler
