France’s new Africa strategy, unveiled by French President Emmanuel Macron, will see a reduction in troops on the continent as more local forces co-manage its bases.
It comes just weeks after Russia promised more military assistance and training to West African countries.
Mr. Macron unveiled the new strategy ahead of a four-nation trip to Africa, as more global powers vie for influence on the continent.
French military bases in Africa, according to President Macron, are a legacy from the past.
However, he stated that his country should not be blamed for failures in the fight against extremist groups in the Sahel.
French forces, which had been fighting militants in the region for over a decade, withdrew from Mali last year after the country invited the Wagner group in.
Mr. Macron described the group as failing regimes’ life insurance.
In January, French troops were also asked to leave Burkina Faso due to rising anti-France sentiment.
Mr. Macron’s newly unveiled strategy aims to reshape France’s relationship with Africa as competition from Russia and China intensifies.
