Senegal and Chad reacted sharply to remarks by French President Emmanuel Macron that African countries were ungrateful for France's role in helping fight the militant jihadist insurgency.
Macron said on Monday that the Sahel countries had “forgotten” to thank France for its role amid the ongoing withdrawal of French troops from West African countries.
He said no Sahelian nation would be a sovereign nation without the intervention of France, which prevented them from falling under the control of extremists.
In response, Chadian Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamalla said Macron's comments revealed his contempt for Africa.
“Chad expresses its deep concern following remarks made recently by (the French president) which reflect a dismissive attitude towards Africa and Africans,” he said in a statement on national television.
He said “French leaders must learn to respect the African people and recognize the value of their sacrifices”.
Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said in the past France had contributed to the “destabilization of certain African countries such as Libya”, which had “disastrous consequences” for the region's security.
“France has neither the capacity nor the legitimacy to guarantee the security and sovereignty of Africa,” he said in a statement.
Macron made his comments at an annual ambassadors' conference in Paris, saying France was reorganizing its strategic interests in the region and rejecting the idea that it had been forced to withdraw from Africa.
French troops were sent to Mali in 2013. in response to an Islamist insurgency. A year later, the mission was expanded to cover other countries in the region, including Niger and Burkina Faso.
“We were right (about the deployment). I think someone forgot to say thanks. Everything is fine, it will come with time,” Macron said on Monday.
“But I say this for all the African heads of state who have not had the courage in front of public opinion to hold this view. None of them would be sovereign states today if the French army had not been stationed in the region. “
Sonko said that in the case of Senegal's decision to ask French troops to leave, Macron's remarks were “completely wrong”.
He said there had been no talks with France about closing its military bases in the country.
He said the decision stemmed from “the sole will of Senegal as a free, independent and sovereign country”.
Both Sonko and Kulamalla also cited the role of African soldiers in liberating France in the world wars.
“If African soldiers, sometimes forcibly mobilized, mistreated and eventually betrayed, had not been sent during World War II to defend France, it might still be Germany today,” Sonko said.
Chad, Senegal and Ivory Coast recently ended security agreements with France – while Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger told French troops to leave after coups.
France's influence in the region has declined in recent years amid accusations of neo-colonialism and exploitative relations with its former colonies.
The junta-led governments of Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have drawn closer to Russia since France withdrew from their countries.
On Monday, Chad's foreign minister said France's contribution to the country was limited to its “own strategic interests,” even though Chad has struggled with instability and other problems during their 60-year partnership.
Chad ended its defense agreement with France in November, saying it was “time for Chad to assert its full sovereignty and redefine its strategic partnerships according to national priorities.”