With flags down in Burkina Faso, France eyes Ivory Coast

Last year French troops withdrew from Mali, ending its nine-year deployment in the country. However, the debacle of France’s Africa policy didn’t stop there. With a growing anti-France sentiment in the continent which spread like wildfire, recently even Burkina Faso, another French colony, had demanded for the withdrawal of French troops from the country within a month.

However, despite the humiliation, that the former colonial power had to go through, it looks like it is still not able to let go of its greed for the West African region. Now, after being driven out of Burkina Faso, France is eyeing another West African country Ivory Coast in order to maintain its geopolitical relevance in the region.

France eyes Ivory Coast

France’s defence minister has now pledged to boost military support to Ivory Coast, after neighbouring Burkina Faso ordered French troops to leave and vowed to curb a worsening Islamist insurgency on its own.

Recently, both the nations officially marked the end of French military operations in the West African nation, after a flag-lowering ceremony at the French Special Forces’ camp.

During an official visit to Ivory Coast, the French minister, Sebastien Lecornu said, “We will strengthen cooperation with Ivory Coast in terms of training and equipment because it is an important country for us.”

The violent insurgency that had taken root in Mali had later spread to Burkina Faso and Niger and now the region fears that it might also spread to Ivory Coast, where France is eyeing to enter in the name of curbing insurgency.

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However, one of the major reasons for Mali and Burkina Faso to turn away from the Western power was the perception of its failure to end the insurgency issue which had only become worse, despite years of French troops’ presence.

Now, it would be naïve to think that the same French troops will be able to do the miracle in Ivory Coast. France offering its “support” to the West African country is nothing but old wine in a new bottle which most likely will not be able to succeed yet again.