Europe’s strategic Africa failure

France once took great pride in its position in Africa and its close ties with African countries, especially those in the francophone world. Yet over the past decade, those relationships have steadily deteriorated.

The decline accelerated shortly after French President Emmanuel Macron took office in 2017. Remarks he made about African demographics and family policies were widely perceived as patronizing. In many African countries, such comments are seen as a new form of European intrusion and condescension.

Last week’s France-Africa summit in Nairobi – the first such gathering held in an English-speaking African country – again highlighted the problem. African participation was high-level, but President Macron’s tone and attitude were once more seen as patronizing, further damaging relations.

Over recent years, France – and, by extension, much of Europe – has lost influence across nearly all of Africa. This has become especially evident in the Sahel region.

However, this failure is not limited to France. This is a strategic disaster for Europe. Africa is Europe’s closest neighbor on its southern flank and one of the world’s richest and fastest-developing regions globally. Meanwhile, countries such as Turkiye, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and especially China have expanded their influence successfully through pragmatic business and investment relationships. Russia has done so through military support.

Europe, by contrast, often makes meaningful economic engagement nearly impossible for its own companies. Protectionist policies on one side and ideological regulations on the other have weakened Europe’s competitiveness in Africa.

Africa does not need arrogant lectures or paternalism from Europe. It needs business.

A contradictory approach

Europe’s Africa policy often appears schizophrenic. On one side, Europe remains haunted by the legacy of colonialism. On the other, many European policymakers still act as though they have a mission to reshape African societies according to European views on family structures, social issues, economics and politics.

The reality is that the two continents need each other. Europe’s future prosperity and sovereignty may depend as much – or perhaps more – on strong relations with Africa as on the continent’s eastern defense challenges.

If Europe wants to regain mutually privileged relations in Africa, it must fundamentally rethink its regulatory and protectionist mindset. Without such a shift, Europe risks marginalizing itself in one of the world’s most dynamic regions, which lies right next door.