France’s Reorientation In Africa

The End Of France’s Sahel Era

The past five years have delivered the most abrupt contraction of French military presence in Africa since decolonisation. Mali’s double coup in 2020–2021, Burkina Faso’s expulsions in 2022–2023, Niger’s rupture in 2023, and Chad’s unilateral termination of its defence accord on 28 November 2024 have collectively erased France’s permanent combat footprint across the central Sahel. By 31 January 2025 the last French soldiers left N’Djamena, Faya-Largeau and Abéché. Operation Barkhane is now a closed chapter, and the Russian Africa Corps has moved into the vacuum left behind.

France has seen a significant blow over the years, with some countries increasingly expressing anti-French sentiment. However, in 2025, France seems to be quietly, but rapidly, reengaging in African countries for soft power footholds.

 

The New Geography Of French Engagement

France’s interactions with African countries in 2025 reflect a deliberate recalibration of its continental strategy, emphasising economic partnerships, cultural exchanges, and selective security cooperation while navigating the consequences of military withdrawals from the Sahel. This approach, articulated in President Emmanuel Macron’s November 2024 report on “lucid reorganisation,” prioritises mutual reciprocity over historical dominance, with a focus on stable allies and non-Francophone economies. Engagements span infrastructure projects, diplomatic tours, and crisis responses, often coordinated with the European Union and African Union, amid efforts to counterbalance Russian influence and address jihadist spillovers.

 

West Africa

In West Africa, France’s 2025 engagements underscore a transition from direct military intervention to targeted support for regional stability, particularly in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Following the full withdrawal of troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, and Senegal by mid-year, Paris shifted emphasis to intelligence sharing, humanitarian aid, and economic initiatives in stable partners like Nigeria, Benin, and Côte d’Ivoire. This pivot addresses jihadist threats—such as Boko Haram’s resurgence—while fostering cultural and creative industries to bolster soft power. Diplomatic efforts also reinforced infrastructure ties, exemplified by ongoing investments in urban mobility, as France seeks to mitigate the security vacuum left by its Sahel exits.

Key Events

• February 2025: France hands over its last military base in Côte d’Ivoire to local authorities, ending a permanent presence of around 600 troops and aligning with a broader reduction in West African bases.
• July 2025: Completion of French troop withdrawal from Senegal, including the handover of Camp Geille and a nearby airbase in Dakar, marking the end of a 65-year military footprint; future ties emphasise training and intelligence.
• October 2025: Second Création Africa Forum in Lagos, Nigeria, organised by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs; features round tables, masterclasses, and funding agreements via the Team France Fund for Creation to support African cultural industries, with EUR 3.5-billion mobilised overall since 2023.
• December 2025: President Macron pledges enhanced security cooperation with Nigeria during a call with President Bola Tinubu, including intelligence sharing and humanitarian aid in response to over 300 schoolchildren kidnappings by Boko Haram affiliates.
• December 2025: French special forces provide surveillance, logistics, and aerial support to Benin during a foiled coup attempt in Cotonou by mutinous soldiers; 14 plotters arrested, with President Macron condemning the “destabilisation” and coordinating via ECOWAS.
• December 2025: Minister Delegate Éléonore Caroit represents President Macron at Côte d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara’s inauguration in Abidjan; tours the EUR 1.5-billion French-backed Abidjan Metro Line 1 site and announces repatriation of the Djidji Ayôkwé drum, highlighting Francophonie and sustainable development.

 

North Africa

France’s North African engagements in 2025 centred on bolstering ties with Morocco as a strategic counterweight to Sahel instability, while navigating tensions with Algeria over the Western Sahara territory dispute. Economic and military-technical cooperation with Rabat advanced, positioning it as a hub for migration management and counterterrorism, with joint exercises underscoring a strengthened partnership. In contrast, relations with Algiers deteriorated following Paris’s endorsement of Morocco’s autonomy plan, prompting ambassadorial recalls and protests against planned manoeuvres. Tunisia and Libya saw continuity in migration and innovation projects, though broader regional dynamics—exacerbated by Iranian and Russian alignments—highlighted France’s hedging strategy.

Key Events

• March 2025: Algeria summons French Ambassador Stéphane Romatet to protest the “Chergui 2025” Franco-Moroccan military exercises planned for September near the Algerian border, labelling it a provocation.
• April 2025: French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot meets Algerian counterpart Ahmed Attaf in Algiers to reactivate cooperation mechanisms across sectors, temporarily easing tensions post-Western Sahara rift.
• September 2025: “Chergui 2025” joint military exercises conducted between France and Morocco in Errachidia, focusing on counterterrorism and regional stability, despite Algerian objections.
• December 2025: 23rd Franco-Moroccan Joint Military Commission in Paris, co-chaired by Lt Gen Mohammed Berrid and Gen Fabien Mandon; reviews 2025 cooperation and sets 2026 priorities for joint exercises, training, and defence industries; Berrid awarded the Legion of Honour.

 

Central Africa

Central Africa’s 2025 landscape for France involved renewed defence pacts and governance dialogues, particularly in Gabon and Angola, as Paris sought to offset Sahel losses through resource-driven economic anchors. President Macron’s November tour highlighted mining diversification and infrastructure, with Gabon renewing a “win-win” military agreement centred on training. Chad’s withdrawal dominated early-year dynamics, but residual ties persisted via the French embassy. These engagements align with France’s strategy to support African-led security, including UN peacekeeping, while addressing debt and inequality through Agence Française de Développement (AFD) funding.

Key Events

• January 2025: France completes troop withdrawal from Chad, handing over bases in N’Djamena, Faya-Largeau, and Abéché; President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno calls it a “historic turning point,” with full handover by deadline.
• November 2025: President Macron meets Gabon’s post-coup leader President Brice Oligui Nguema in Libreville, renewing a defence pact focused on training at Camp de Gaulle and discussing governance, mining diversification, and EUR 400-million AFD mobilisation for 2024–2028.
• November 2025: President Macron visits Angola for the EU-AU summit in Luanda, advancing oil and infrastructure deals, building on a 2023 agriculture agreement.

 

East Africa

France expanded its East African footprint in 2025 through military diplomacy and regional conferences, targeting Ethiopia and the Great Lakes to promote peacekeeping and economic integration. General Pierre Schill’s visits emphasised defence modernisation amid Horn of Africa tensions, while the October Paris conference mobilised international support for Great Lakes stability. These efforts complement AFD’s EUR 96-million in projects across 16 national initiatives, focusing on debt relief and food security in priority nations like Rwanda and Kenya.

Key Events

• October 2025: Announcement of the Paris Conference on Peace and Prosperity in the Great Lakes region, scheduled for 30 October; co-ordinated with Togo and the African Union to address conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi.
• October 2025: Paris Conference on the Great Lakes convenes international stakeholders to mobilise responses to instability, emphasising economic governance and decentralisation.
• November 2025: French Army Chief General Schill visits Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to deepen military ties on peacekeeping, training, modernisation, and counterterrorism; praises Ethiopia’s army as one of Africa’s strongest. Furthermore, French technologies like drones and AI are promoted to African military leaders.

 

Southern Africa and Indian Ocean

Southern Africa’s 2025 engagements highlighted France’s outreach to Anglophone powerhouses, with President Macron’s tour reinforcing trade and climate priorities ahead of the G20 in Johannesburg. Mauritius emerged as a bridge for Indian Ocean ties, securing honours and AI cooperation, while South Africa’s summit role amplified discussions on global crises. These moves position France as a partner in energy transitions, with AFD committing EUR 32.3-million across six national projects in the subregion.

Key Events

• November 2025: President Macron’s tour begins in Mauritius; receives the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean while advancing food security, energy transition, and AI partnerships, strengthening links with French territories like Mayotte.
• November 2025: President Macron meets South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria and attends the G20 Summit in Johannesburg; focuses on trade, climate, and a joint response to US Ukraine proposals, warning the G20 is “at risk” without collective action.

 

Broader Continental Initiatives

Overarching 2025 efforts included cultural and entrepreneurial programmes to foster long-term goodwill. The Ancrages Forum and Pass Africa initiative supported African diasporas in France, while preparations for the 2026 Africa-France Summit in Nairobi signalled a forward-looking agenda. These complement AFD’s EUR 1.1-billion in 162 projects continent-wide, prioritising low-income states with 70 per cent grants by year-end.

Key Events

• April 2025: Ancrages Forum in Marseille launches the third edition of Pass Africa, supporting 20 Franco-African entrepreneurs; part of a diaspora action plan funding over 3,000 ventures via MEET Africa and Choose Africa 2.
• Ongoing (launched 2025): Opening of Maison des Mondes Africains (MansA) in Paris as a cultural hub for African diasporas, facilitating works circulation and creative projects ahead of the 2026 summit.

 

Conclusion

France’s 2025 engagements across Africa mark a pragmatic evolution from the assertive interventions of the past, with selective security backing in West Africa—such as the December pledges to Nigeria and logistical aid to Benin—complementing economic diplomacy in the south and east, as seen in Macron’s November tour and Schill’s Ethiopian outreach, while North African military ties with Morocco provide a stabilising northern flank.

This pattern reveals Paris’s intent to cultivate a networked influence through reciprocal partnerships, emphasising training, infrastructure, and cultural exchanges to offset Sahel expulsions and Russian encroachments, yet its efficacy remains contingent on genuine African agency and sustained multilateral coordination, as regional volatility underscores the fragility of such recalibrations.