Macron says Sahel leaders ‘forgot to thank France’ for fighting terrorism

French President Emmanuel Macron says Sahel leaders did not appreciate France for fighting terrorism in the region.

Macron spoke on Monday at an annual conference on foreign policy for 2025.

In a speech to French ambassadors gathered at the Elysee Palace, the president described Sahelian leaders as ungrateful.

He said France was right in 2013 for its intervention to fight Islamist militants “even if those same states had now moved away from French military support”.

“We had a relationship based on security. It was in fact two-fold,” Macron said.

“On one hand, it was our engagement against terrorism since 2013.

“I think someone forgot to say ‘thank you.’ It’s okay; it will come with time.

“Ungratefulness, I know all too well.”

Former French colonies in Africa have shunned France and turned to Russia for support.

After successive military coups, French troops pulled out of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

Chad, Senegal, and Ivory Coast are the latest countries to expel French troops from their countries.

“None of them would have a sovereign state if the French army had not deployed in this region,” Macron added.

The French president also dismissed the notion that his country had been kicked out of the Sahel region.

He said France no longer belonged there after citizens decided that they no longer wanted to prioritise combating terrorism.

“France no longer belonged there because we are not at the beck and call of coup leaders,” he added.

Macron said France is focused on “reorganising” itself.