Although it's almost 50 years on from the era of decolonisation, French soldiers are again in the frontline of a number of conflicts on the continent of Africa - and some people argue it's taken on a neo-colonial role in the region.
French troops are also separating the two opposing sides in Ivory Coast, and have already played a leading part in the European Union military force in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Only a few years ago France swore it would never again be the 'gendarmerie' of Africa, yet - and possibly against its own will - that is exactly what it continues to be.
History of intervention
Until a few years ago, French policy was the deciding factor in the conflicts of Central Africa. Between 1962 and 1995, Paris intervened a total of 19 times in various African nations. However, with the arrival of multi-party politics on the continent some 15 years ago, and the establishment of the African Union in 2002, it seemed that France's role as the 'police man' of the region was almost over.
Nonetheless, France still had and has many troops stationed in Africa: in Dakar (for West Africa), Libreville (Central Africa), Djibouti (for the Horn of Africa) and on the French island of Réunion (for the southern part of the continent). Recently, these numbers grew when Paris strengthened its forces in Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR).
'Neo-colonial'
According to Roland Marchal of the Centre National de Recherches Scientifiques (National Centre for Scientific Research) in Paris, France has fallen back on its 'neo-colonial' role, and he's critical of this: "An Africa policy can't be built around supporting the president's friends."He believes that French President Jacques Chirac (pictured above) has confused trying to maintain the status quo with the idea of trying to maintain stability. President Idriss Deby of Chad, for example, presents himself as an ally of Mr Chirac, yet his regime turned into a dictatorship many years ago, and is now a failing government which is continually at risk of being toppled by rebel forces or an angry population.
By supporting this regime, France meanwhile runs the risk of being drawn into a confrontation with neighbouring Sudan, for the rebel groups in both Chad and the CAR obtain weapons and logistical support from that country.
| France's financial interests in Africa have increasingly come to lie in other countries. Paris does indeed have a stake in Ivory Coast, but otherwise these interests are shifting more and more to states, such as Nigeria and South Africa, which are not part of Africa's traditional francophone community. |
The growing regional influence of Sudan - a country which has recently seen its finances grow on the back of its oil resources - can now really only be stopped militarily by France. There is, therefore, much more at stake than the survival of weak regimes in otherwise 'insignificant' African countries.
Inside Africa there is - so far at least - no opposition to France's new military role on the continent. The leaders of the CAR and of Chad obtained their current posts through the ballot box, although both of them first seized power through armed struggles. They have, therefore, at least 'appeared' to have complied with the rules, and that's what counts as far as the African Union is concerned.
Needless to say, the opposition in the two countries looks at these things quite differently. The armed rebels in Chad and the Central African Republic will do anything they can to shoot down a French fighter plane in the hope of undermining French resolve - and that's exactly what they almost succeeded in doing in Chad last month.
* RNW Internet translation (tpf)
Tags: Africa, African Union, Afrique, AU, Central African Republic, Chad, Chirac, Deby, Francophone, gendarmerie, Ivory Coast, military, neo-colonial, Reunion, troops