Francophone Africa

Françafrique (French pronunciation: ​[fʁɑ̃safʁik]) is a portmanteau of France and Afrique used to denote France's relationship with its former African colonies, sometimes extended to cover former Belgian colonies, as well. The term was first used in a positive sense by President Félix Houphouët-Boigny of Côte d'Ivoire, with reference to that country's economic growth and political stability. However, it is now sometimes used to criticize the allegedly neocolonial relationship France has with its African former colonies. Since the independence of African states in 1960, France has intervened militarily more than 30 times in the continent. France has military bases in Gabon,Senegal, and Djibouti, as well as in its overseas departments of Mayotte and Réunion in the Indian Ocean. The French Army is also deployed in Mali,Chad,Central African Republic,Somalia and Ivory Coast. There is an ongoing dispute as to whether "Françafrique" still exists. Since 2012, some have spoken of a "return of Françafrique". On 14 July 2013, troops from 13 African countries marched with the French military during the Bastille Day parade in Paris for the first time since French colonial troops were dissolved.

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