Great Britain and France in Africa: a very shabby or formidable agreement?

During the Franco-British summit of 2023. In addition, the United Kingdom and France undertook to “intensify their joint efforts” and to “strengthen their cooperation” in Africa, especially in the Sahel, in the horn and in the Great Lakes region. This great britain france africa: very desire for cooperation contrasts strongly with recent quarrels around Brexit and Franco-British rivalry, much older, on the African continent[1]. This article questions the way in which Great Britain. France have succeeded, from colonial era to the present day, to overcome their differences and work together in Africa.

History of rivalry

The origin of the Franco-British rivalry in Africa is often attributed to the Fachoda incident of 1898. when France was forced to retreat in a humiliating manner and to give in to Great Britain its territorial claims on Sudan. The 1904 cordial agreement only partially appeared the resentment between the two countries. the “Fachoda syndrome” (La Paranoia de la France in the face of English -speaking penetration in French -speaking Africa).

This spirit of non-cooperation will continue until the first postcolonial decades. Great Britain and France continuing their own close approaches to Real policy. For example. rather than collaborating great britain france africa: very to reduce poverty in Africa, these former colonial powers linked significant volumes of foreign aid to the purchase of their own products and services. They also promote ideological models of different economic development: the United Kingdom supported neoliberal reforms driven by the World Bank. while France opposed the so-called “Washington consensus[2] ». Likewise. they bequeathed different political systems to their former respective colonies, then turned their eyes when they became single party states. On the safe level. the United Kingdom and