France’s admission of supporting a repressive regime in Cameroon after 1960 is not just about one country; it highlights a wider French strategy in post-colonial Africa known as “Françafrique.” The acknowledgment serves as a case study in how France maintained control over its former empire.
Françafrique was an intricate web of political, military, and economic ties that allowed Paris to exert influence over its former colonies. This often involved supporting authoritarian leaders who were friendly to French interests, even if they were brutal towards their own people.
The case of Cameroon is a textbook example. France granted formal independence but then provided the military and intelligence backing for President Ahidjo to eliminate his nationalist rivals. This ensured Cameroon remained firmly in the French sphere of influence, both politically and economically.
Macron’s acknowledgment, therefore, is a tacit admission of this broader, cynical strategy. It reveals that the violence in Cameroon was not an isolated event but part of a system designed to manage decolonization in a way that preserved French power.