France’s Declining Grip on the Sahel: A Financial Catastrophe
For decades, France has maintained a stronghold over Africa, particularly in the Sahel region. Former French President Jacques Chirac once admitted that without Africa, France would be reduced to a Third World country. Today, this prophecy is coming true as France faces severe economic losses due to its expulsion from Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali.
One of the most significant blows has been the financial downfall of Air France, which has lost a staggering €65 million since being forced out of the Sahel. The airline, which once dominated air travel in the region, is now desperately seeking to regain access. However, military leaders Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso, along with counterparts in Niger and Mali, have made it clear that France’s return is not welcome.
Air France’s Losses: A Reflection of France’s Economic Dependency on Africa
Air France was not just an airline in the Sahel—it was a highly profitable monopoly. The airline generated massive daily revenues:
500 million CFA francs from Mali
430 million CFA francs from Niger
390 million CFA francs from Burkina Faso
This translated to over €2 million per day, making it a crucial economic artery for France. However, with the rise of military-led governments rejecting French dominance, Air France was expelled, cutting off one of its most lucrative revenue streams.
The result? A financial catastrophe for the airline, which now scrambles to regain access. But the new leadership in the Sahel has firmly declared that the era of France’s unchecked exploitation is over.
How France Exploited African Resources for Decades
France has long maintained an image of economic strength and industrial power, but much of its success has been built on resources it does not actually possess. Despite lacking significant reserves of gold, uranium, and critical minerals, France was a leading global exporter of these commodities. The reason? It extracted them from its former African colonies under highly exploitative agreements.
The Gold Heist
France has no major gold mines, yet it exported vast quantities of the precious metal. The source? West African nations like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, where French companies controlled mining operations under unfair contracts. These deals ensured African countries received only a small fraction of the wealth generated while France refined and sold the gold as its own.
Even Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni exposed this exploitation, highlighting how France’s so-called "gold exports" were merely a rebranding of African wealth.
Uranium: The Backbone of France’s Nuclear Power
Perhaps the biggest blow to France has come from Niger, which has long been the backbone of France’s nuclear energy industry.
Before the 2023 military coup in Niger, the country supplied nearly 35% of France’s uranium at exploitative prices. While France reaped billions, Niger itself received only 5% of the profits. However, the new government has cut off uranium exports, forcing France to seek costly alternatives from Canada and Kazakhstan. This has led to billions of euros in projected losses for Orano (formerly Areva), France’s largest nuclear energy company.
With Niger prioritizing new deals with Russia and China, France’s monopoly over Niger’s uranium reserves is permanently broken.
A New Era of African Resource Control
The wave of military-led governments in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali is not just about political independence; it’s about economic sovereignty.
Gold, uranium, lithium, cobalt, and coltan—all essential for modern technology—were once controlled by French corporations. However, these nations are now:
Expelling French mining firms
Nationalizing key industries
Partnering with new allies, including Russia and China
For example, Mali—Africa’s third-largest gold producer—has expelled French companies and is shifting to Chinese and Russian partnerships. Burkina Faso, which produces over 50 tons of gold annually, has imposed strict regulations on French firms, making operations nearly impossible.
This strategic shift is crippling France’s economic grip on Africa.
France’s Desperate Attempt to Regain Influence
France is now facing a crisis of historic proportions. With its resource extraction blocked, its economic dominance is shattering. Air France’s expulsion is just one part of a larger collapse.
Other major industries are also suffering:
Total Energies, France’s largest oil and gas company, is losing access to West African oil fields as Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso shift to Russia and the Middle East.
Infrastructure projects, once controlled by French firms like Vinci and Bouygues, are now being awarded to Chinese, Turkish, and Russian companies.
Bollore Group, which monopolized African ports, is losing key contracts as African nations prioritize local businesses.
The fall of French economic power in Africa is now unstoppable.
France Without Africa: A Nation in Decline
For decades, France’s economy was artificially sustained by African wealth. Now, without access to cheap uranium, gold, oil, and minerals, France is losing its global competitive edge.
Even worse for France, this anti-French movement is spreading beyond the Sahel:
Senegal, Chad, and Cameroon are seeing rising anti-French sentiment.
Ivory Coast and Gabon, once loyal French allies, now have growing political movements calling for economic independence.
BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) are offering better trade deals, providing African nations with alternatives to France’s exploitative contracts.
If this trend continues, France risks losing its last remaining African strongholds permanently.
The Battle for the Sahel: Will France Accept Defeat?
France’s desperation to bring back Air France is more than just about an airline—it’s a strategic test. If France forces its way back in, it could open the door for:
The return of French corporations
New French diplomatic ties
Potential French military presence under the guise of economic cooperation
However, the leaders of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger see through this maneuver. They have declared that France will not re-enter through the back door.
The Verdict: Africa Thrives Without France
The myth that Africa needs France has been shattered. The reality is the opposite—France cannot function without Africa.
This economic revolution is about more than just expelling one airline; it’s about dismantling an entire system of neocolonial exploitation. France is now experiencing firsthand what happens when a nation built on African wealth suddenly loses its grip.
The world is witnessing the rise of a new Africa—one that demands fair partnerships, respect, and economic justice.
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