After nearly a decade battling terrorists in West Africa, France is now winding down its largest overseas military mission—and potentially unwinding decades of deep involvement in former colonies like Mali, Chad, and Burkina Faso.
French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to wrap up “Operation Barkhane” reflects both disappointing results from the eight-year effort to stamp out jihadis from their newest staging ground and Macron’s own desire to reset relations with Africa. Since the early days of his presidency, Macron has vowed to put an end once and for all to “Françafrique,” Paris’s longstanding habit of meddling in the political, economic, and military affairs of its former colonies on the continent.
