French Neocolonialism in Africa: Historical Overview and Summary of Current Events

ABSTRACT It is widely understood that, over a half‐century ago, most nations of Africa gained formal independence from colonial powers. What is not widely known is that in former French and Portuguese colonies, France was able to retain a significant degree of control over the economics and politics through a neocolonial system dubbed la Françafrique. Under that system, France has made use of the CFA franc, the management of natural resources, and one‐sided commercial contracts to siphon off much of the economic surplus generated by these 23 nations. In addition, France has effectively installed puppet governments in many nations and stifled dissent throughout the continent. Dissent against French domination of Africa has occurred at various times during the long period of Françafrique, and has intensified significantly in recent years. Several governments in West Africa are now openly rebelling against France, and diasporan communities and influential individuals are increasingly speaking out to support and interpret this dissent. This article provides an historical overview of Françafrique, reviews its current impacts, and sketches the contours of the growing movement to dismantle it.