France’s Policy in Africa after decolonization: from colonial past to neocolonial ties

Abstract

Abstract. The article examines the evolution of France’s African policy from the era of decolonization (1956–1962) to the contemporary geopolitical reassessment unfolding against the backdrop of the Sahel crisis in the 2020s. The purpose of the study is a comprehensive analysis of the key mechanisms through which France has maintained its influence on the continent – namely the “Françafrique” system, monetary control via the CFA franc zone, a network of bilateral defence agreements, and instruments of cultural diplomacy. Particular attention is paid to the structural paradox of France’s African strategy: the formal recognition of African states’ sovereignty was combined with the de facto reproduction of colonial hierarchies through informal networks, economic dependency, and military presence. The scientific novelty of the article lies in its filling a gap in Ukrainian scholarship regarding the systematic study of France’s postcolonial strategy as an integrated structure of dependency. The series of military coups in the Sahel in 2021–2023 is interpreted not as a collection of situational political crises, but as a natural, structurally determined outcome of the contradictions inherent in the “Françafrique” model. The article also traces the influence of new global actors, particularly China, Russia, and Turkey, on the transformation of traditional French-African relations. On the basis of primary source analysis and engagement with current scholarly debates, the authors conclude that the “Françafrique” model is in systemic crisis and that a fundamental restructuring of France’s approach to Africa is both necessary and already underway.