Chad’s and Senegal’s leaders have denounced comments made by French president Emmanuel Macron on Monday (6 January), in which he accused some African countries of failing to thank France for its assistance in combating terrorism, as “completely erroneous” and for showing lack of “respect” towards Africans.
In his speech made to French diplomatic corps at an annual conference on foreign policy for 2025, Macron also focused on the withdrawal of French troops from several African countries, accusing some African leaders of “ingratitude” and claiming that “none of them would have a sovereign state if the French army had not deployed in this region.” Calling French military intervention in the Sahel against terrorism since 2013 as “justified”, Macron also ironically added that “I think that they forgot to thank us, but that’s ok, it will come in time.” But Chad and Senegal, both of which have demanded in recent months the withdrawal of French troops from their territories, immediately hit back at Macron’s comments.
In a statement issued on Monday, Chad’s foreign minister, Abderaman Koulamallah, slammed Macron’s remarks as “disrespectful” and reflecting “contemptuous attitude toward Africa”. Koulamallah also pointed out that “France has never acknowledged” Chad’s sacrifices during the two World Wars when it was helping France to fight for its liberation. “For over 60 years of French presence, France’s contribution has often been limited to its own strategic interests, with no lasting impact on the development of the Chadian people,” he added. Meanwhile, Senegal’s prime minister, Ousmane Sonko, also denounced Macron’s claims of “ungratefulness” among African leaders, saying that “France has neither the capacity nor the legitimacy to assure Africa’s security or sovereignty.”