In depth

Africa, according to Macron

How to sum up the French president's Africa policy? The withdrawal of Operation Barkhane from Mali, dance moves in Nigeria, restitution of artworks in Benin…Less than one week before the first round of France’s presidential election, we outline the major policy points in eight episodes, from innovation to realpolitik.

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'Changing the software'

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How France’s Macron shaped African policy

It had been six months since the new French president had settled into the Élysée Palace. On 28 November 2017, Emmanuel Macron was visiting the University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. Before an amphitheatre of students, he said: “France no longer has an African policy.”

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A New Footing

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Algeria-France: When Macron shook things up… including Bouteflika

On 6 December 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron made a whirlwind visit to Algiers. Eager to distinguish himself from his predecessors, he not afraid to break taboos or offend his interlocutors. Has it changed anything?

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french touch

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Macron banks on Nigeria’s energy to give France new options in Africa

Can Nigeria provide a new path for France in Africa, away from the heavy security commitments of the Sahel, and the difficult historic relationships with former colonies?

French president Emmanuel Macron in front of the artworks returned to Benin, during an exhibition on 27 October 2021 in Paris. © Michel Euler/POOL/AFP

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Acts of symbolism

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Restitution of African art: Despite the controversies, Macron keeps his promise

On 23 November 2018, Bénédicte Savoy and Felwine Sarr submitted their report on the restitution of artwork pillaged from Africa during the colonial period. This step can be credited to the French president, who opened up a debate that had long been kept under wraps.

Mahamat Idriss Déby and Emmanuel Macron at the state funeral of Chadian President Idriss Déby Itno, 23 April 2021 in N'Djamena © CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON/AFP

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Allies in a crisis

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Chad: When realpolitik caught up with Macron at Déby Itno’s funeral

When French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Chad to attend the funeral of Idriss Déby Itno and endorse the seizure of power by his son, one thing was clear: Paris needed N'Djamena as much as N'Djamena needed Paris.

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'Ndibuka' - I remember

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Rwanda: Macron attempts a high-risk reconciliation in Kigali

During French President Macron's presidency, he has been set on repairing old wounds with the continent. One in particular has been engaging with Rwanda's Paul Kagame who has always pointed a finger to France for its role in the 1994 genocide.

French President Emmanuel Macron (centre) and Cameroonian philosopher Achille Mbembe (4th right) pose with participants of the Africa-France summit in Montpellier on 8 October 2021. LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP

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out with the old

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Macron buries the concept of ‘Françafrique’ at Montpellier summit

It was 8 October 2021 and the French president had organised a summit to which his African counterparts were not invited. An innovative approach in form, which probably didn’t change the Franco-African relationship in any depth, but speaks volumes about Emmanuel Macron’s style.

Emmanuel Macron and Assimi Goïta. Montage JA; Habib Kouyate/Xinhua/MaxPPP; François Grivelet for JA.

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parting ways

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Mali: Macron and Goïta, a tale of broken ties

Relations between the French head of state and the Malian junta started off rather promising. Emmanuel Macron and Assimi Goïta were supposed to meet on 20 December 2021 in Bamako but the visit was cancelled, signalling a breakdown between the two countries.

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