The speaker then focuses on the economic relationship between France and African countries using the CFA Franc currency, which has perpetuated France’s colonial influence and discouraged domestic industries from developing. The situation in Mali and neighboring countries is discussed, where the French counterinsurgency operation began in 2013, and the volatile situation has led to the expulsion of French troops and the welcome of the Russian mercenary group Wagner. Russia’s role in the conflict is explored, as it aims to disrupt French access to raw materials like uranium and gold, and the African states have announced their formal withdrawals from the CFA Frank system. The speaker notes that Russia did not cause the anti-French sentiment in the region but saw the opportunity to advance its own interests. The French military’s efforts to combat terrorism in the Sahel have evolved into what the speaker calls France’s “Forever War,” with the territorial cores of ISIS and Al-Qaeda shifting from the Middle East to the Sahel.
