Geopolitics and Markets Review – 7th March 2023

Africa: Attitude Towards The West and Alignment With The East

France’s Macron in DRC

Emmanuel Macron continues on his world tour that nobody bought any tickets for or asked for. Attitudes towards the French in Africa are at low levels. Protests have even emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo against the French President’s visit. Macron stated the age of French influence in Africa is over, and he had no desire to return to the past. But African geopolitical memory is long, and still fresh in their minds. President of the DRC, Felix Tshisekedi, urged the west “to change its patronizing attitude”. Macron sees influence dwindling in Africa as Russian and Chinese support grows. Both Russia and China offer a partnership to Africa, has the west realised too late that they want to do the same?

---

Colonialism

The age of colonialism upon which the British Empire was built is dying. Another benefiter of colonialism was France. Germany, Portugal, Spain, and Italy were also involved in these grabs for hard power in Africa.