The Myth of Military Aid: The Case of French Military Cooperation in Africa

Vasset, Philippe

doi:10.1353/sais.1997.0035

“…Whilst most of the specialists of the French African security policy (Barillot 1993;Ango Ela 1996;Balmond 1998;Chaigneau 1984;Dumoulin 1997;Gounin 2009;Luckham 1982;Gregory 2000;Smith 1996;Charbonneau 2008;Vasset 1997) In addition, the so-called 'coopérants' -technical advisors (in the defence as well as in the police and justice sector) permanently deployed in Francophone African countries (for a two to three year period) have been deeply involved in assisting the newly independent authorities in putting on its feet a national security apparatus.…”

Section: The 'Special Relationship' Between France and Africa After Imentioning

confidence: 99%

The African Standby Force: External Support to an ‘African Solution to African Problems’?

Bachmann

¹

2011

IDS Research Reports

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

About IDSThe Institute of Development Studies is one of the world's leading charities for research, teaching and communications on international development. Founded in 1966, the Institute enjoys an international reputation based on the quality of its work and the rigour with which it applies academic skills to real world challenges. Its purpose is to understand and explain the world, and to try to change it -to influence as well as to inform.IDS hosts five dynamic research programmes, five popular postgraduate courses, and a family of worldclass web-based knowledge services. These three spheres are integrated in a unique combination -as a development knowledge hub, IDS is connected into and is a convenor of networks throughout the world.The Institute is home to approximately 80 researchers, 50 knowledge services staff, 50 support staff and about 150 students at any one time. But the IDS community extends far beyond, encompassing an extensive network of partners, former staff and students across the development community worldwide.

show abstract

“…In the realm of security, French intervention has consisted in ensuring its own access to base facilities; leading direct 'stabilising' interventions; and positioning military and security personnel and advisers in ministries. The essential characteristics of the Franco-African security relationship includes defence agreements (guaranteeing the continual presence of French troops in a number of Francophone states -Senegal, Djibouti, Gabon, Côte d'Ivoire 7 -or mutual 8 Whilst most of the specialists of the French African security policy (Barillot 1993;Ango Ela 1996;Balmond 1998;Chaigneau 1984;Dumoulin 1997;Gounin 2009;Luckham 1982;Gregory 2000;Smith 1996;Charbonneau 2008;Vasset 1997) have systematically and thoroughly analysed the political processes underlying Franco-African military relationships, one can hardly find a systematic and detailed assessment of the achievements of more than 40 years of French security cooperation with Francophone African countries: no detailed lessons learned have been completed, except (to some extent) in the 1996 and 2002 reports of the Observatoire permanent de la coopération française (1996,2002).…”

Section: The 'Special Relationship' Between France and Africa After Imentioning

confidence: 99%

Security systems in Francophone Africa

Bagayoko

¹

2010

IDS Research Reports

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

About IDSThe Institute of Development Studies is one of the world's leading charities for research, teaching and communications on international development. Founded in 1966, the Institute enjoys an international reputation based on the quality of its work and the rigour with which it applies academic skills to real world challenges. Its purpose is to understand and explain the world, and to try to change it -to influence as well as to inform.IDS hosts five dynamic research programmes, five popular postgraduate courses, and a family of worldclass web-based knowledge services. These three spheres are integrated in a unique combination -as a development knowledge hub, IDS is connected into and is a convenor of networks throughout the world.The Institute is home to approximately 80 researchers, 50 knowledge services staff, 50 support staff and about 150 students at any one time. But the IDS community extends far beyond, encompassing an extensive network of partners, former staff and students across the development community worldwide.

show abstract

“…80-106). Under these arrangements, France extensively equipped African armies, provided technical and training personnel as well as military advisers, and accepted approximately two thousand African officers per year either to study in French military academies or to serve with French units (Vasset, 1997). Even today, 23 military cooperation agreements remain in place with African states.…”

Section: The Cold War Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Franco-African Military Relations: Meeting the Challenges of Globalisation?

Utley¹

2005

Modern & Contemporary France

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Military ties have constituted a cornerstone of Franco-African relations since at least the time of decolonisation. In recent years, however, the foundations of France's military relations with the African continent have been significantly revised, and political rhetoric in Paris has increasingly sought to place the changes made within the prism of globalisation. This article will begin by showing that a globalising world has, indeed, provided a permissive context for alterations in French military policy in Africa. It will, however, go on to argue that the extent to which those alterations have been driven by concerns over globalisation, or comprise an adequate response to challenges posed by global pressures, is very much open to question. It will suggest rather that globalisation has provided little more than a latter-day legitimation of changes effected by Paris for reasons which have more to do with self-interest than with specifically African requirements in the face of globalisation.

show abstract

The Myth of Military Aid: The Case of French Military Cooperation in Africa

Cited by 5 publications

References 3 publications

The African Standby Force: External Support to an ‘African Solution to African Problems’?

The African Standby Force: External Support to an ‘African Solution to African Problems’?

Security systems in Francophone Africa

Franco-African Military Relations: Meeting the Challenges of Globalisation?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About