Bamako, Mali
Burkina Faso’s President, Captain Ibrahim Traore, said French President Emmanuel Macron was “insulting all Africans” and urged African countries to abandon military agreements with Paris.
“(Macron) has humiliated all Africans. That’s how this gentleman sees Africa and Africans. In his eyes, we… “is not a human being,” he said, pushing back against the French leader’s recent comments. .
In a speech to the diplomatic corps last week, President Macron said African leaders had “forgotten to express their gratitude” to France for its “support in the fight” against insurgency in the Sahel region. said.
“This is nothing more than a smokescreen against the people,” Traore said of Macron’s remarks. “If anyone is ungrateful, it’s him. France is what it is today because of our ancestors. Our ancestors should pray for us.”
The West African leader also said Paris was changing its strategy for maintaining troops in Africa, as many countries have expelled French soldiers and bases in recent years.
“They are not going to leave certain countries… They will set up security companies to protect their companies in these countries, but the soldiers will be there. We will no longer see them gathering together on military bases,” Traore said, expressing regret that many of his colleagues “still don’t understand this.”
Burkina Faso has been under military rule since January 2022. The West African country was one of the first African countries to expel French troops.
In recent years, several African countries, including Niger and Mali, have expelled French military bases, while Ivory Coast, Chad and Senegal have demanded the withdrawal of French troops.
French troops are scheduled to complete their withdrawal from Chad by the end of January.
Djibouti and Gabon are the only African countries that continue to have a French military presence.
“Abandon the military agreement with France”
Traore called on African countries to abandon their military cooperation agreements with France. “That’s the only way to have an independent army, build yourself up and become strong,” he said.
“If we want to break with these imperialist powers, it’s easy. We must denounce the agreements. The problem lies in the colonial defense agreements that have been signed since independence,” he said. .
“The most dangerous part of the French system is the military advisors. They are responsible for implementing France’s policy in Africa,” said the military ruler, who took office in September 2022.
Traore called on Africans to “wake up, work for the well-being of Africans, fight imperialism and decolonize our spirituality.”
*Written by Riyaz-ul-Khalik in Istanbul
The Anadolu Agency website only lists in summary form a portion of the news articles provided to subscribers on the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS). Please contact us for subscription options.
