The French African Connection In January, France sent 4,000 troops to Mali in a bid to combat rebel fighters who, after seizing control of the countrys north, threatened to invade the capital city of Bamako. Francois Hollande, the French president, justified the intervention by stressing his countrys commitment to its former West African colony. France will remain with you as long as it is necessary, he told a press conference. For his part, Dioncounda Traore, the interim Malian president, expressed his gratitude, calling Hollande a brother to the Malian people and a true friend of the whole of Africa. But is France pursuing a neo-colonial policy in Africa? Is it continuing Francafrique , the term coined to describe the countrys relationship with its former African colonies, in which it supported unpopular African politicians in order to advance and protect its economic interests? In a recent visit to Dakar, Hollande declared the end of the Francafrique era, but is it really over? This three-part series tells the story of France Afrique: a brutal and nefarious tale of corruption, massacres, dictators supported and progressive leaders murdered, weapon-smuggling, cloak-and-dagger secret services, and spectacular military operations.aljazeera/programmes/specialseries/2013/08/201387113131914906.html
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 06:56:00 +0000
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