France Accuses Russia, Turkey of Feeding Hostility in Africa
President Emmanuel Macron accused Russia and Turkey of
promoting anti-France sentiment in Africa, in an interview published Friday
where he sought to defend his vision for the role of the former colonial power
in the continent.
Macron also railed against Guinea President Alpha Conde for
clinging onto power, while categorically ruling out negotiating with extremists
to ease the task of the French force deployed in the Sahel region of Africa.
"There is a strategy at work, sometimes led by African
leaders, but especially by foreign powers such as Russia or Turkey, who play on
post-colonial resentment," he told Jeune Afrique magazine.
"We must not be naive on this subject: many of those
who speak, who make videos, who are present in the French-speaking media are
funded by Russia or Turkey," he added.
Tensions between France and Turkey have risen to new levels
over a range of disputes in recent months, including Syria, Libya, the eastern
Mediterranean and France’s defense of the move to publish offensive cartoons of
the Prophet Mohammed.
France has called for a total rethink of the European
Union's relations with Turkey, which under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Russia has also played an increasingly active role in
Africa, with analysts pointing to the presence in several countries of the
pro-Kremlin mercenary group Wagner.
Macron did not give examples or name media outlets where he
alleged such anti-French sentiments are aired.
