Emmanuel Macron had said African leaders had not thanked France for ‘helping to combat’ insurgencies - Anadolu Ajansı

African governments have criticized a speech by French President Emmanuel Macron in which he said that some leaders showed “ingratitude” for the deployment of his nation’s troops in the Sahel region in battling Islamist extremism.

The Senegalese prime minister and the Chadian foreign minister have condemned claims made by Emmanuel Macron regarding negotiations about the withdrawal of French troops from several African countries,

Chad’s Foreign Minister, Abderaman Koulamallah, condemned Macron’s remarks as “disrespectful” to Africans and highlighted Chad’s sacrifices during both World Wars.

French President Emmanuel Macron, on January 6, addressed the annual conference of ambassadors, outlining his foreign policy priorities for 2025.

French soldiers were deployed for a decade to fight an Islamist insurgency in its former colonial territory of the Sahel region. Read more at straitstimes.com.

President Macron accused some African countries of “forgetting to tell us thank you” for the role of the French military in fighting jihadists.

The French president's words have sparked a backlash, with African leaders calling out his "contemptuous attitude". View on euronews

French President Emmanuel macron faced backlash from several African nations after suggesting they should be grateful for France’s military presence in the Sahel region. During a speech at an annual ambassadors’ conference,

Chad and Senegal on Tuesday hit back at comments made by President Macron claiming that African countries in the Sahel had "forgotten to say thank you" to France for helping to combat jihadist insurgencies.

Senegalese and Chadian leaders say the ousting of French troops from their territories was their sovereign decision, rejecting remarks from French President Emmanuel Macron that suggested otherwise.

In response, Chad's Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah said Macron comments had revealed his contempt for Africa. "Chad expresses its deep concern following the remarks made recently by [the French president], which reflect a contemptuous attitude towards Africa and Africans," he said in a statement on national TV.