Abstract
This study examines the factors and consequences of declining French influence in the Sahel region following the military coups in countries such as Chad, Mali and Niger, and the adoption by new military elites of a policy of disengagement from Paris. The significance of this study stems from examining the fundamental shifts affecting France’s interests and historical influence in the region in light of a rising wave of hostility among both the public and the new military elites toward Paris, as well as regional transformations and crises impacting the stability of these states, alongside the growing presence of international actors seeking to expand their influence as alternatives to France. The study concludes that internal and external shifts in the Sahel region are the primary drivers of France’s declining influence, with strategic and geopolitical implications for France’s role not only in the Sahel but also in the global arena.
