A serious mistake. That's how Ankara described recent remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron. The French leader, who was speaking with African youth on the sidelines of the COP27 summit in Egypt, accused three countries, including Türkiye, of engaging in imperialism in Africa. Macron specifically blamed China, Russia and Türkiye, for engaging in actions that were far worse than those of France. Omer Celik, a spokesperson for the Türkyie's ruling AK Party, said Macron's remarks reduced France's foreign policy to animosity towards Türkiye. He also highlighted France's own colonial past on the continent and its current military footprint that critics argue is fuelling anti-French sentiment. On Wednesday, Macron confirmed the end of the Barkhane military operation in the Sahel region, which began over a decade ago. He acknowledged the move came due to the negative consequences of its military actions in the region. So is France conceding that its policy in the Sahel was a failure, and does it have a new approach to tackle security challenges in the region?

Guests:

Jacques Reland

Senior Fellow at Global Policy Institute

Collins Nweke

African Affairs Analyst