BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 21. The annual conference of ambassadors was held in Paris on January 6, 2025, where French President Emmanuel Macron made several harsh statements that resonated widely in African countries.
Macron demanded the immediate release of Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, who was detained at Algiers airport in November. In his speech, he claimed that Algeria, “which he loves and whose past he shares,” was involved in a dishonorable case and that Sansal's detention was preventing his access to medical treatment.
These remarks by Macron drew heavy criticism in the African media. Algerian broadcaster ElwataniaTV described the French president's words as shameful and unacceptable, noting that France, led by Macron, has become hostage to anti-Algerian currents that are permeated with racism and Islamophobia. Questions about France's colonial past and its failure to take responsibility for its historical heritage were also raised.
The Moroccan station Atlantic Radio emphasized that Macron's statements about supporting African security and sovereignty are not taken seriously because France has neither the capacity nor the legitimacy to play this role. Members of the Chadian government expressed a similar position, labeling the president's remarks as a disregard for African states.
Lebanon's Al Mayadeen TV drew attention to Macron's attempt to correct his image by focusing on France's policy in Africa, but the speech drew condemnation from Chad and Senegal.
Senegal's RTS2 emphasized that modern African states have long since built their independent foreign policies and France has lost much influence on the continent.
BurkinaInfoTV directly blamed Macron's colonialist views, noting his sarcastic statement that Africans are supposedly ungrateful. The media accused the French president of failing to see Africans as equal partners, emphasizing that Africa's resources are no longer prey to European countries.