Speaking at the 2025 Africa Day at Sciences Po in Paris at the start of October, French foreign minister Jean-Nol Barrot sought to emphasise the country's commitment to the continent at a time when its historical relationships in Africa are in flux.
"My conviction is simple, and it has not changed: France carries within it a part of Africa that makes it stronger," Barrot said. "Let us look at the African continent which is brimming with potential: in the incubators of Abidjan, in the shipyards of Cape Town, the ports of Tangier and Dar-es-Salaam, there is an energy at work on the continent."
"France innovates faster than the rest of the world and France is at Africa's side, when it comes to diplomacy, business, and its public or private initiatives," he added.