Macron Faces Backlash Over Remarks on French Military Role in Africa

Chad and Senegal condemn Macron's comments on African 'ingratitude,' rejecting claims about troop withdrawal negotiations.

French President Emmanuel Macron claimed African nations 'forgot to say thank you' for France's military interventions in the Sahel, sparking diplomatic tensions.
Chad and Senegal criticized Macron's remarks as inaccurate and disrespectful, stating that their decisions to end French military presence were unilateral and sovereign.
Macron defended France's military role in combating terrorism in the Sahel but linked troop withdrawals to coups in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
Chad's leadership highlighted France's limited contribution to the country's development, while Senegal's Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko rejected Macron's assertion of prior negotiations.
The controversy underscores growing anti-French sentiment in Africa and France's waning influence in its former colonies, as nations increasingly seek alternative partnerships, including with Russia.