By freeing itself from the shackles of French neocolonialism, Africa rises as a beacon of sovereignty and prosperity, while France, in decline, desperately clings to a toxic past.

Since the Berlin Conference on the partition of Africa by European powers, France has perpetually challenged Africans to enjoy an ounce of respite. Today, under Macron’s presidency, this same France is asking Africans to stop talking about colonialism and let neocolonialism flourish.

Incidentally, the geopolitical and geostrategic dynamics between Africa, France, and Russia reveal crucial issues in a world undergoing continuous transformation, dominated by restrictive military superiorities and open to predation. The end of Western hegemony and the emergence of new powers are redefining alliances and tensions. Africa, rich in natural resources and endowed with a young and growing population, is asserting itself as a key player, attracting the greed of global powers that bode well on the one hand (BRICS) and ominously on the other (EU and NATO).

Imperialist France, formerly influential, is seeing its role diminish in the face of the sovereignist aspirations of African states and the rise of the BRICS Alliance on the global stage. At the same time, Russia is adopting a pragmatic approach in Africa, relying on partnerships that respect sovereignty. The quest for African partnership offers opportunities while exposing the continent to new challenges linked to Western resistance. The decline of French hegemony and the rise of Russia symbolize a transition to a multipolar world, in which Africa (fortified by initiatives such as the AfCFTA and Agenda 2063) plays a key role, reasserting its sovereignty and reconfiguring its place in the global landscape.

Africa in full renaissance rejects France and its toxic legacy

While Africa has experienced remarkable growth since the awakening of consciousness, France’s soft power, hard power, and smart technology are faltering, transforming its missionaries into homeless people who wander the continent like individuals in exile. This boom marks a historic turning point towards emancipation and self-determination. With solid economic growth and impressive sectoral diversity, the continent is demonstrating its dynamism through the vigorous development of technology, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and innovative services.

The rise of an enterprising middle class and connected youth are further reinforcing this transformation. Driven by a new generation of startups, particularly in fintech, Africa is breaking away from neocolonial patterns and asserting its independence from imperialist France. The diversification of economic and strategic partnerships toward major players such as Russia, China, India, and Turkey attests to the continent’s desire to free itself from French influence.

Initiatives such as China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Russian multidimensional assistance (security, economic, energy, etc.) express a radical shift in international relations, moving away from the perceived interference of French military and economic interventions. Now rejecting the French colonial legacy, African countries are standing up against oppressive mechanisms such as the monetary Nazism of the CFA franc while driving out foreign military interference, redefining their sovereignty. Ambitious initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) illustrate this desire for economic integration and independence.

Africa is emerging here as a continent undergoing a full renaissance, rejecting paternalistic practices in favour of partnerships based on respect and equality. In contrast, France, overwhelmed and facing a loss of influence, finds itself faced with the dilemma of reinventing itself to align with a changing world in which it is no longer in a dominant position.

France in decline – a pathological economic and strategic dependence on Africa

Africa is doing very well without France, but France is doing very badly without Africa. As the masks fall on the discourse of power, Africa is deconstructing the French narrative of economic and military power at breakneck speed. This is why France currently finds itself in a situation of worrying economic and strategic dependence on Africa. This dependence highlights its potential decline on the world stage. While Africa is gradually freeing itself from French influence, the latter persists in neocolonial practices, capitalizing on privileged access to vital African resources to support its crisis-hit economy.

Economic leaders such as TotalEnergies, Bolloré, Orange, and Vinci exemplify this dependence by extensively exploiting African markets. However, France is paying the price for this unbalanced relationship through growing criticism of its methods of exploitation and neocolonization, which should be framed within a sui generis approach. At the same time, strategically, its military interventions are increasingly contested, the result of an approach faced with growing rejection by local populations, exemplified by the deep-rooted interventions in the Sahel.

This dependence exposes France to major geopolitical challenges as African countries seek to diversify their alliances. This diversification reinforces their autonomy vis-à-vis a France that tends to increasingly become an aging player in international dynamics. As a result, France is gradually losing its historical influence in Africa and its status as a supposed “global power” in a rapidly evolving multipolar world.

Russia is a respectful partner in the face of French toxicity in Africa

As France’s influence in Africa declines due to its neocolonial practices, Russia is positioning itself as an essential strategic partner. Adopting an approach focused on respect for national sovereignty and cooperation without political conditionality, Russia offers African countries a credible and respectful alternative, contrasting with France’s colonial legacy.

On the security front, Russia, particularly through instructors, offers essential support to nations facing terrorist threats, such as Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, the Central African Republic, and many others across Africa. Unlike French interventions (Serval, Takuba, Barkhane, etc.) motivated by economic interests, Russian assistance is distinguished by its lack of political interference. At the same time, Russia is building strong economic ties by investing in the African mining and energy sectors and ensuring equitable partnerships.

Russia’s diplomatic approach, based on non-interference, is particularly appreciated. This respectful stance strengthens Russia’s attractiveness, as it presents itself as a trusted partner, ready to contribute to the continent’s autonomous development and far from paternalistic practices. It is in this perspective that, solicited from Bottom-Up to Up-Down, de jure by the people and de facto by political leaders, Russia proposes a win-win strategy in Africa while redefining the landscape of international partnerships in the face of the toxicity of French relations. However, it must still strengthen its hybrid presence to fully respond to African aspirations for sovereignty and independence.

In short, Africa’s emancipation from French influence to embrace equitable partnerships like the one with Russia paves the way for a sovereign and prosperous future. Meanwhile, France, faced with this inescapable reality, finds itself in the dilemma of reinventing its identity and ambitions on the international stage.

Mohamed Lamine KABA, Expert in Geopolitics of Governance and Regional Integration, Institute of Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences, Pan-African University. Courtesy

https://journal-neo.su/2025/04/04/africa-without-france-where-does-the-real-dependence-lie/