Les relations franco-africaines : changement et continuité ?

This briefing by the Institute for Security Studies examines the evolution of France's relations with Africa, analyzing the transition from the traditional 'Françafrique' system of personalized power and influence toward a more multilateral, transparent partnership. It evaluates the tensions between official rhetoric of rupture—such as the 'doctrine de la Baule' and President Nicolas Sarkozy's promises—and the persistence of old habits, including the support of authoritarian regimes and the reduction of development aid.

• France's traditional African policy, termed 'Françafrique', was based on a logic of power and 'personalized reports with African leaders' to maintain influence following World War II. This system relied on a network of defense agreements, the franc zone, and the Francophonie to protect a 'continental zone of French predominance'.
• The 'doctrine de la Baule', introduced by President François Mitterrand on June 12, 1990, attempted to link French aid to democratic progress. However, this was undermined by a subsequent shift at the Chaillot summit in November 1991, which allowed African leaders to determine their own 'modalities and rhythm' for democratization, effectively neutralizing political opposition.
• France has sought to move away from its role as the 'gendarme of Africa' by implementing the RECAMP doctrine, which focuses on strengthening African peacekeeping capacities. This shift encourages organizations like the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS to lead crisis resolution, though France continues to provide financial and military support and has engaged in specific operations such as 'Artémis' in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and EUFOR in Chad and the Central African Republic.
• Economic and financial relations have shifted toward a 'mutualization of aid' due to French budgetary constraints and European convergence criteria. The 1994 'Abidjan doctrine' (or 'Balladur doctrine') subordinated French financial commitments to agreements with the IMF or World Bank, leading to the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc in 1994 and the suppression of the Ministry of Cooperation on January 1, 1999.
• President Nicolas Sarkozy promised a 'new, sanitized, uninhibited, balanced' relationship during his 2007 campaign. While he has proposed transparency—including the publication of future defense agreements and the involvement of the French Parliament—critics argue that 'Françafrique' practices persist, evidenced by the February 2008 military intervention to save the regime of Idriss Déby Itno in Chad.
• To counter the growing influence of China, India, and Arab monarchies, France has introduced a new economic roadmap via the French Development Agency (AFD). This includes a 250 million euro investment fund for African companies and a 2 billion euro program over five years aimed at financing 2,000 companies and creating 300,000 jobs.

APA

Diaw, M. (2008). Les relations franco-africaines : changement et continuité ? Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SITREP071108.PDF

Chicago

Diaw, Moussa. Les relations franco-africaines : changement et continuité ? Institute for Security Studies, 2008. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SITREP071108.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Diaw |first1=Moussa |title=Les relations franco-africaines : changement et continuité ? |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=7 November 2008 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SITREP071108.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{diaw2008les, author = {Diaw, Moussa}, title = {{Les relations franco-africaines : changement et continuité ?}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2008}, month = nov, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/SITREP071108.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }