Pars Today – Bitter realities pertaining to France’s relations with Africa are among the main factors which motivate the new political elites and trigger extensive popular demands for ending asymmetrical relations with France and starting equal relations.
Austrian Institute for International Affairs (OIIP) has analyzed the expulsion of the French military forces from the Central and West African countries as part of a broad trend of independence-seeking and emphasis on national sovereignty which can be considered as the second wave of anti-colonialist struggles in Africa. According to Pars Today, the analytical column of the OIIP reads, “The two countries of Chad and Senegal used to be considered as the major French allies in Africa and among the pillars of the economic, political and military influence of Paris in the continent, but which factors have been effective in the developments during 65 years after the independence of the French colonies in the West and Central Africa?”
The first factor, which can be studied in this respect, is the emergence of a young and active generation in Africa which enjoys public awareness and, via communications and social media, not only calls for real changes, but also makes effort in this way. This is true about the new generation of the young political leaders in the continent, too, who were born years after elimination of colonialism. Unlike the previous generation of politicians, they have little information about vested interests in return for concessions granted to France. What they have seen were lengthy fruitless military operations which were tangible for people or exploitation of natural resources of their countries by French companies and continuation of poor development in these countries. These bitter realities pertaining to France’s relations with Africa are among the main factors which motivate the new political elites and trigger extensive popular demands for ending asymmetrical relations with France and starting equal relations. Another factor, which eases this new trend, is the emergence of multipolar global order manifested in the stronger role of other international players such as China and Russia in Africa. These new partners, with no colonialist record in Africa, have offered opportunities for cooperation in economic and military domains without an intervention in the internal affairs of the African countries. The new partners do not attach their support and cooperation to certain conditions like Westerners, but they rather raise clear-cut demands such as diplomatic support in the international level or access to energy markets.
The Austrian institute stresses in the end that if the European Union, as a traditional partner for development of Africa, intends to continue interaction with the continent, it must respect this demand and inclination of the African countries and embark on participation based on common interests and mutual respect. This is while, the move towards further independence has gone beyond the Francophone region in Africa. This has been manifested in the tendency of more African countries to join BRICS coalition. BRICS enjoys special attractions for African countries including, ruling out hegemonic allegations and views of Western countries, support for multipolar and non-interventionist global order and respect for the right to sovereignty and independence of countries.
RM/MG
