France,Francophone African States and South Africa: The Complex Triangle and Apartheid

This paper traces the course of French involvement in Africa since the dismantling, with the declaration of formal independence of its African colonies, of its classical colonial structure. France has nonetheless managed to keep intact its domination over the Francophone states through aid, trade and military support, and has attempted, through them and with the help of close and friendly relations with South Africa, to extend its influence in southern Africa in particular and the rest of the continent in general, in pursuit of its ambition to achieve a big-power status on the world scene. The complex triangular relationship, now further compounded by international politics (including the fierce rivalry between the two superpowers, and not excluding the danger of its escalating into armed confrontation), has given a new twist to the anti-apartheid struggle. Having learnt from experience the enormous cost of war, even on the mini-scale of guerrilla activities, and its failure to make a dent on South Africa's racial policy, even the radical front-line states (including the most radical of them, Angola and Mozambique, both supported by the Soviet Union and defended by Cuba's armed forces) are now receptive to the idea of trying to solve the apartheid problem through negotiation. Mooted by the leaders of Francophone states (most vocally by Houphouet-Boigny of the Ivory Coast) and at first indignantly rejected by the OAU, the idea is now gaining progressively increasing support in Africa, even the OAU having toned down its opposition. Now that world public opinion has bestirred itself against apartheid, the strategy of negotiation promises to be an alternative better able to succeed, and even the sceptical states of Africa may be persuaded to accept it.