Published on: 07/15/2022 – 06:41
A collective of around forty associations and scientists has just published a column in the newspaper Le Monde calling on President Emmanuel Macron to reconsider French policy in the Sahel. An important issue for France because of its military and diplomatic investments for almost a decade, but which has already shown its limitations. Anthropologist Jean-Pierre Olivier de Sardan, Research Director Emeritus at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), one of the signatories, is a guest of RFI.
RFI: In this column published in the newspaper Le Monde, you start from an observation, namely that of the failure of French policy in the Sahel. Is it also obvious ?
Jean Pierre Olivier de Sardan : When it’s so obvious? I don’t think anyone can deny that it’s a failure. Operation Barkhane failed to stop the jihadists’ advance, and the majority of Malian opinion opposed it. Relations with the Malian government are indeed completely deplorable. Governance issues have not progressed at all. We cannot say that it is a great success, although this failure certainly has several causes, but part of the causes of this failure are in France.
You talked about failure in Mali. What about other countries in the Sahel? ?
It’s complicated because there really is a double standard in French politics. There is extremely strong condemnation of the coups in Mali, much more moderate and unsanctioned condemnation when it comes to Burkina and Guinea, and almost approval when it comes to Chad. This variant of French policy on double standards and anti-French sentiment, especially towards French leaders, is actually expressed in most other countries. But of course the situation is different in every country. We know that Niger currently has a different policy, let’s say internally, but also externally, for example than Burkina, Guinea or Mali.
How unconsulted French politics has been in recent years, considering that the French parliament has been consulted several times on the war in the Sahel and Emmanuel Macron, for example, organized an Africa-France summit with young Africans a year ago ?
The least that can be said is that there has been no real consultation with African governments on all the issues pending and under discussion. The problem with Mali started in Kidal when the French army, when liberating northern Mali with Operation Serval, refused to allow the Malian army to enter Kidal with it. This completely angered Malian public opinion, which was initially in favor of French intervention and then began to suspect that this intervention had other motives or that there was complicity with the separatists. From that moment, this unilateral decision by France completely changed the relationship. Then there were many unfortunate government interventions: When Emmanuel Macron called the African heads of state to Pau one day, public opinion naturally reacted extremely negatively. Another day he calls a France-Africa summit, but decides that this is reserved for representatives of African associations only and that the heads of state must stay at home this time. These are completely unilateral decisions that show some contempt or condescension towards African countries. This is one of the reasons for this rejection, which has now become massive from France to the Sahel.
Under these conditions, how could a French parliamentary debate or with local African civil society change the situation? ?
Personally, I don’t think there are magic solutions. I think debate is desirable, so all forms of debate are good to have, a parliamentary debate than a more open debate in public opinion. We cannot expect miracles from a parliamentary debate. However, it should be noted that there are still decision-making processes that are lonely or concern a few that are extremely unfortunate. And that’s a long time ago. The first beginning of this crisis in the Sahel was the war against Libya. Again, we cannot say that it was preceded by a serious debate about the intervention in Libya. This worsened the entire situation in the Sahel. So, yes to debate in all its forms.
Is it possible to rebuild France’s relations with the Sahel and beyond with Africa without settling the colonial-era accounts of Françafrique? ?
I’ve long believed in the need to revisit that past and actually settle those scores. The accounts of the colonization are not yet settled, nor are those of Françafrique. Yes, it is indeed necessary to take stock of that period and the many mistakes and also crimes that France may have witnessed during that period. A serious, relaxed and demanding reflection on this past seems absolutely necessary to me. We spoke about this for Algeria, but it also applies to relations with the French-speaking countries of Africa. Absolutely, it’s important.
Isn’t this change in French policy in the Sahel probably too late at this point? ?
Better late than never ! We can always regret that this reorientation did not come sooner. If it intervenes now, it is important. I want to emphasize one thing; In this reorientation, one of the most important elements is putting an end to that condescension, contempt and arrogance that French leaders, whoever they are, often have and have had in the past, that they are “still compared to Africa are . France, precisely because of its colonial past, can have a much lower profile and pay attention to its words and judgments.