Macron plans ‘noticeable reduction’ of French troops in Africa
Paris, France (AFP):
President Emmanuel Macron has announced a “noticeable reduction” of French troop presence in Africa, where anti-French sentiment is running high in some former colonies.
He was speaking in Paris ahead of a four-nation tour of central African countries from Wednesday, as France seeks to counter growing Chinese and Russian influence in the region.
Macron is to visit Gabon for an environmental summit, followed by Angola, then the Republic of Congo, or Congo-Brazzaville, and finally the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo.
Paris has fallen out with new military authorities in Mali and Burkina Faso, withdrawing its troops from both former French colonies after of involvement in military operations against insurgents.
Former colonial power France has been accused of excessive and unnecessary intervention in the region to protect its own interests.
France still has thousands of troops in the wider Sahel region, including in Niger and Chad, but is seeking to tone down its presence on the ground.
Macron described this as a “reorganisation” of French military presence, rather than a withdrawal.
“The change will happen in the coming months with a noticeable reduction of our numbers,” he said.
“We will remain but with a reduced footprint,” he said.
“We will do more training, more equipping and better accompanying” of local troops according to their needs, he said.
Some military bases would become academies, while others would become “partner” bases, he added.
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