France, Jan. 9 -- Speaking at the Elysee Palace during France's annual meeting with ambassadors on Thursday, Macronsaid French policy towards Africa had undergone a fundamental change since 2017,when he declaredin Ouagadougou:"There no longer is a French policy for Africa."

France, he said, now sought partnerships that were not based primarily on historical or linguistic ties and did not automatically prioritise French-speaking countries.

A central element of this shift has been the overhaul of France's military footprint in Africa.

Since Macron came to power in 2017, France has ended or drastically reduced its military presence in Central and West Africa, withdrawing troops from Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, Central African Republi...