Implikacje niepowodzenia stabilizacji państw Sahelu dla utrzymania pozycji Francji w Afryce

IMPLICATIONS OF THE FAILURE TO STABILISE THE STATES OF THE SAHEL FOR MAINTAINING FRANCE’S POSITION IN AFRICAAfrica had for centuries provided French diplomacy with advantages through which it could realise its power ambitions. In the 1960s, French colonies in sub-Saharan Africa gained full sovereignty and France faced the dilemma of how to preserve “privileged” ties while avoiding the label of the legacy of colonialism? In the 21st century, a strategic foreign policy objective became the stabilisation of the Sahel – a region crucial to France’s security. This was reflected in the creation of the G5 Sahel in 2014 and Operation Barkhane. However, subsequent coups in Mali (2020), Burkina Faso (2022) and Niger (2023), with the support of foreign powers, led to the loss of French influence in its traditional sphere of influence.