Françafrique

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In international relations, Françafrique (French pronunciation: [fʁɑ̃safʁik]) is France's sphere of influence (or pré carré in French, meaning 'backyard') over former French and Belgian colonies in sub-Saharan Africa. The term was derived from the expression France-Afrique, notably used by the first president of Ivory Coast, Félix Houphouët-Boigny, in 1955 to describe his country's close ties with France. It was later pejoratively renamed Françafrique by François-Xavier Verschave in 1998 to criticise the alleged corrupt and clandestine activities of various Franco-African political, economic and military networks, also defined as France's neocolonialism. Following the independence of its African colonies beginning in 1959, France continued to maintain influence over the region, which was essential for then President Charles de Gaulle's vision of France as a global power (or grandeur in French) that could rival British and American influence in the post-colonial world. The United States...

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