Emmanuel Macron convened an Africa-France summit on Friday, October 8, and this is part of a desire to reconnect with African youth and to forget Françafrique.
Since the start of his five-year term, Emmanuel Macron has stepped up actions to try to forget Françafrique and its symbols. His wish, from the start, was to reconnect with African youth. During a 2017 visit to Burkina Faso, he promised a break in French policy in Africa. “Africa is the central, global, unavoidable continent”, declared the president. The same year, he lifted the secret defense on the assassination of Thomas Sankara, architect of the revolution in Burkina Faso.
Emmanuel Macron announced the return of works of art looted in Benin during colonization. In March 2021, he acknowledged torture and France’s role in the assassination of Algerian nationalist leader Ali Boumendjel. In Rwanda, he spoke of France’s responsibility during the genocide of the Tutsis. Finally, last June, the Head of State announced the reduction in the number of soldiers in the Sahel and the gradual end of Operation Barkhane. A decision castigated by Mali. In recent days, tensions have been high with Algeria, after the announcement of the reduction in visas.