Assessing the Geo-Strategic Implications of France’s Withdrawal from the Sahel

Since their independence, postcolonial Sahelian republics have lived in the shadow of Paris, as the French have maintained enormous influence over their former African colonies, particularly those in the Sahel region. France’s self-proclaimed decades-long restoration of relations with Sahelian countries has achieved varied outcomes. France’s relations with the five Sahelian countries have been hampered by a colonial heritage that France has been hesitant to admit. Furthermore, it has been harmed by the years that followed African independence in the early 1960s, as well as by “França frique†– an era defined by collusion and involvement with illegitimate regimes. However, much has changed, and France is now facing opposition from Francophone Sahelian republics and communities. This has resulted in France’s economic, political, and military departure. The geostrategic consequences of France’s disengagement from the Sahel are examined in this study. A comprehensive desk review including secondary data is used in the paper. The paper concludes that France’s disengagement from the Sahel has far-reaching consequences. First, Salafi-Jihadist extremist organizations have discovered new leeway for maneuver (and more armaments), fomenting and exploiting sectarian and ethnic conflicts in countries that are multi-ethnic and multi-faith due to their often artificial colonial origins. Second, the French withdrawal will exacerbate geopolitical conflicts between Great Powers and Area Boys like Algeria.