French President Emmanuel Macron is facing challenges in shifting France's relationship with Africa, as he returns from visits to Rwanda and South Africa. Mali has experienced another coup, while Chad is dealing with a controversial political transition after the death of Idriss Deby. France is also concerned about Russia's growing influence in the Central African Republic. Macron has called for economic support for Africa and a patent waiver on COVID-19 vaccines. He has also organized a conference on Sudan and plans to cancel Khartoum's debt. Macron has acknowledged France's past injustices in Africa but has stopped short of official apologies. His actions have been met with both praise and criticism, with some seeing them as a continuation of past policies. France and the EU have denounced Mali's latest coup, and Macron has threatened to withdraw French troops if the country moves towards 'radical Islamism'.

West African nations are uniting their military forces in response to a surge of terrorist violence in the Sahel region. At a G5 summit in Pau, France, hosted by President Emmanuel Macron, leaders agreed to continue their cooperation with France to combat jihadism, setting aside past differences with the former colonial power.