The Need for a Better France-Africa Partnership
Authored by ONE in Africa Executive Director Serah Makka & ONE in France Director Najat Vallaud-Belkacem
After the withdrawal of French forces from Mali and more recently from Burkina Faso and responding to the – rightly – growing demands of his Sahelian and sub-Saharan allies, President Macron has called for a new relationship with Africa. This partnership would be a more "balanced, reciprocal and responsible”. The image of France on the African continent is in decline, particularly among its youth who form more than 60% of the continent’s population. Beyond military issues on their continent, young Africans are right to be frustrated at the way France has recently raised the registration fees for foreign students or how differently the Hexagon has welcomed Ukrainian refugees compare...