On May 21, Niger President Mohamed Bazoum commented that France's policy in Africa is not particularly successful.
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| Niger President Mohamed Bazoum. (Source: Le Monde) |
“It’s true that France’s policy in Africa is not a great success right now… But I don’t think it’s France’s fault,” Mr Bazoum told the Financial Times.
According to the leader, the main reason for his above assessment is that France is "an easy target for populist debates on certain views, especially on social media among young Africans".
The head of Niger believes that France's opponents want to create an image of France "as a neo-colonial power".
In an attempt to limit domestic criticism of France's decision to increase its military presence in Niger, President Bazoum said intelligence from Paris had helped the West African nation in its fight against terrorism.
Niger's institutions are growing stronger, he noted, despite persistent problems of instability and poverty in some parts of the country.
He also assured that there was "no possibility" of a coup in the country.
The comments by the Niger President came as several countries in the Sahel region of Africa, such as Mali and Burkina Faso, cancelled defense agreements with Paris and demanded that French troops withdraw from their countries after many years.
However, to date, around 3,000 French soldiers are still deployed in the Sahel, especially in Niger and Chad.
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