France is losing the last vestiges of its grip on Africa

On November 28, in the Chadian capital N’Djamena, a decisive act took place: Chad decided to break its military defense agreement with France. Chadian Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah shared an official statement on the ministry’s Facebook page.

“The government of the Republic of Chad informs the national and international community of its decision to end the accord in the field of defense signed with the French Republic on the 5th of September 2019, aimed at strengthening security and defense cooperation between the two countries,” it said.

This event marks a historic turning point not only for Chad but also for the entire African continent, which seems to be resolutely embarking on the path of definitive decolonization. Under President Emmanuel Macron, France, once perceived as a colonial power, is now reduced to the role of a former colonizer, whose unholy methods and presence are increasingly not tolerated.

A French diplomacy in crisis: Macron’s failure in Africa

After 66 years of false independence, Chad refuses to continue living under the shadow of an old colonial power that, far from being a sincere partner, has acted as a predator. The rupture of this defense agreement is not merely a diplomatic act; it is the cry of despair from a nation weary of decades of foreign interference.

This May’s protests against the French military presence in Chad illustrated a widespread frustration with a France that, under the guise of protection and cooperation, has always pursued its own interests and neocolonial ambitions.

Macron, who promised a renewal of Franco-African relations upon coming to power in 2017, now faces a diplomacy in crisis. His approach, far from bringing a breath of fresh air, has proven to be a true disaster but above all an accelerator for the decolonization of African countries. Françafrique, this opaque system of neocolonial domination, is increasingly rejected by African populations.

The move makes Chad the latest African state to end military partnership with Paris amid a wave of anti-French sentiment in former colonies in recent years. Its neighbors Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger have expelled French troops for failing to quell the jihadist insurgency in the Sahel region. Senegal’s government is also seeking the closure of all French army bases: Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye stated in an interview with Le Monde that “there will soon be no more French troops in Senegal.”

Chad’s president, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, told reporters that the agreement had become “completely obsolete.”

“It no longer corresponded to the security, geopolitical, and strategic realities of our time, nor to our legitimate expectations regarding the full expression of our sovereignty,” Mahamat Deby claimed.

Chad, like other West African and Sahelian countries, no longer wishes to be the plaything of French ambitions, which resemble more an occupation intent than a genuine partnership and military cooperation. The deterioration of relations between Macron and the Chadian president illustrates the weakness of an incoherent and neocolonial foreign policy.

France, which has imposed its strategic imperialist choices on Chad since colonization, now faces firm resistance.

In July 2023, the arrival of a new French ambassador, Eric Gérard, a former head of the GIGN (The National Gendarmerie Intervention Group, an elite counter-terrorism and crisis management unit), has exacerbated tensions between the Chadian authorities and France. His figure is seen at least as controversial and this appointment demonstrates a lack of understanding of the political and social reality of Chad. Gérard had been criticized both in Algeria, where he served as consul general, for implementing a restrictive visa policy, and then in the Central African Republic (where he served as an ambassador).

Moreover, according to sources from the General Directorate of State Institutions Security (DGSSIE), Army Corps General Taher Erda, director general of the Presidential Guard, met with Gérard to discuss the circumstances surrounding the death of the Hungarian lieutenant colonel, who was found dead in his hotel room on October 22, 2024, shortly after arriving in Chad a few weeks prior to oversee a training mission for the Chadian army conducted by a contingent of the Hungarian army.

The revolt against a humiliating colonial past

Chad is showing the way in Central Africa towards emancipation that resonates throughout the African continent. By breaking these defense agreements, the country is not only proclaiming its independence; it is also denouncing the heavy legacy of a slave-holding and colonizing France. This past, still very present in minds, weighs not only on political decisions but also on relations between Chad and Paris. The memory of the suffering inflicted by generations of colonial domination remains vivid, and Chadians refuse to let their future be dictated by those who long enslaved Chad.

The hope for a sovereign Chad, free to choose its partners, is now tangible. The recent collaboration with countries such as Russia reminds us that Chad aspires to establish relationships based on mutual respect and equality, rather than manipulation and selfish interests. This change in direction is commendable and could encourage other African nations to follow this bold example.

The rupture of the agreement with Chad is a humiliation for France. It highlights the ineffectiveness of a foreign policy that is out of breath, which revels in the comfort of old methods. The illusion of “cooperation” is now overshadowed by the desire of African nations to break free from the chains of neocolonialism. France, which has long considered Africa as its private hunting ground, must realize that the era of military interventions and imposed agreements is over.

It is time for France to engage in self-reflection. By continuing to ignore the will of African peoples, it risks losing all influence in a region where its power is already in decline.

Chad’s decision to break its defense agreements with France represents far more than a mere symbolic act. It embodies the resistance of a people determined to finally conquer their full sovereignty and build a future free from the harmful influence of an old colonial power that has caused so much harm. This historic moment should be seen as a call to all African nations to claim their right to self-determination, to refuse tutelage, and to carve their own path.

The coming months will be crucial for Chad and for Africa. The challenges are immense, but the emergence of a new dynamic, based on respectful and equal relations, could be the beginning of a radically different era. France, for its part, must prepare to face the consequences of its past and present choices, as Africa is ready to free itself from the weight of its colonial history.