FRANCE’S AFRICA RELATIONS – DOMINATION, CONTINUITY AND CONTRADICTION

France’s policy regarding Africa has been contentious and sometimes complicated. This edited book is a compendium of research work that attempts to assess issues in France’s policy that may have contributed or influenced the consistent economic, political, social and security crises in former French colonies on the African continent. This book highlights how FrancoAfrican foreign and security policies, especially in the post-colonial era, perpetuate colonial policies of assimilation, association and integration. The chapters highlight instances of domination, continuity and change in France’s economic, cultural and political grip on Francophone African countries. Drawing on case studies and relevant literature, the book provides an historical perspective of France’s Africa policy and critical insight into the nature of France–Africa relations and the political, economic, security, cultural and social problems generated by these. This book will be of great value to policy-makers as well as academics in the field.

Introduction: Re-imaging France’s Policies Toward Africa in the Twenty-First Century
Nicasius Achu Check, Korwa Gombe Adar and Ajume Wingo

Part 1 Contextual and Conceptual Approaches
Chapter 1 French and East African Relations: Securitisation of France’s Geostrategic and Geopolitical National Interests
Korwa Gombe Adar and Mercy Kathambi Kaburu

Chapter 2 French–Africa Changing Foreign and Security Policy: Real Change or Diplomatic Propaganda? Francis Onditi and Abib Sene

Chapter 3 France and the Evolution of Sub-regional Integration in Central Africa: The Case of CEMAC
Nicasius Achu Check

Chapter 4 ‘Francophonie Africa’ Works!
Herbert Ekwe-Ekwe

Chapter 5 Violence, Freedom, and African Cosmopolitanism in Contemporary Francophone
African Fiction
Heike Harting

Chapter 6 Security Reform of French–African Policy Cooperation: Incremental Process Christiane
Rafi dinarivi

Part 2 Country Case Studies
Chapter 7 Senegalese–French Relations: The Historical and Intellectual Resources of a ‘Special Relationship’
Amy Niang

Chapter 8 Françafrique and the Resurgence of the French Military in Africa: The Case of the Ivorian Crisis
Richard Obina Iroanya

Chapter 9 France and the Linas-Marcoussis Agreement on Côte D’Ivoire: Implications for Africa’s Continental Integration
Nicasius Achu Check

Chapter 10 Cooperation through Military Agreements between France and the Great Lakes Region during the Post-Colonial Period: The Case of Rwanda from 1975 to 1994
Salathial Muntunutwine

Chapter 11 Security Versus Democratisation: French Priorities in Tunisia’s Transitional Period (2011 2014)
Ahmed Ali Salem

Conclusion: Setting the Agenda for New FrancoAfrica Relations in the Twenty-First Century Nicasius Achu Check, Korwa Gombe Adar and Ajume Wing

Dr Nicasius Achu Check is a senior research specialist in the Governance, Peace and Security Research Programme at the Africa Institute of South Africa, a research institute of the HSRC. Dr Check is the co-editor of Cooperative Diplomacy, Regional Stability and National Interests: The Nile River and Riparian States (2011). His areas of specialisation include decolonial politics, African post-colonial state-building initiatives, genocide studies, African philosophy, the humanities on the African continent and African development initiatives.

Prof Korwa Gombe Adar is professor of international studies in the Department of Political and Administrative Studies at the University of Botswana. areas of research interest include international relations theory, African international relations, foreign policy analysis and international law and organisation. His recent co-edited volumes include Building Regionalism from Below: The Role of Parliaments and Civil Society in Regional Integration in Africa (2018), African Foreign Policy, Diplomacy and Leadership: Refl ections of Diplomats and Scholars (2016), and African Institute for Leaders and Leadership Yearbook: Lessons from Africa’s Past (2015).

Dr Ajume Wingo is an associate professor of philosophy. He is also associate director of the Centre for Values and Social Policy, director of the Law and Philosophy Programme at the University of Colorado and a senior fellow at Duke University’s Centre for WaSH-AID. His publications include Veil Politics in Liberal Democratic States (2003) and numerous articles on democratic politics, elections, civic immortality and civic education.