World: Africa doesn’t need tutelage, a lesson for France
For decades, France has claimed to be a protector and a privileged partner of Africa, claiming to guarantee security and stability on the continent. However, the facts demonstrate an entirely different reality. France has neither the historical legitimacy nor the concrete means to ensure Africa’s security and sovereignty.
On the contrary, its continued interference has often contributed to the destabilization of several African countries, worsening crises instead of resolving them. The most striking example remains the military intervention in Libya in 2011. Under the pretext of protecting populations and defending democracy, this action led to the collapse of the Libyan state, opening the door to total anarchy.
The repercussions of this disaster have gone beyond Libyan borders, severely affecting the security of the Sahel. Proliferation of weapons, the rise of armed terrorist groups, and the intensification of illegal trafficking: all of this is partly a result of this poorly thought-out and poorly executed intervention.
In light of this reality, it is time for France to recognize that the era of neocolonial interference is over. African nations are now determined to take control of their own destiny, defend their sovereignty, and build solutions tailored to their own contexts.
Instead of trying to dictate policies to Africa, President Emmanuel Macron would be better off focusing on the numerous challenges his own country faces. The social crisis shaking France, the growing economic tensions, and the loss of trust from its citizens in the institutions should be his priorities.
The stability of a state is not measured by its ability to interfere in the affairs of others, but by its competence in responding to the needs of its own people.
