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 28 Feb Sarkozy on new deal with Africa
President Nicolas Sarkozy (pictured) of France, has said his country will renegotiate its defence deals with African countries.
Currently, France has military deals with Ivory Coast, Djibouti, Central African Republic and Senegal, as well as Chad. It also has several military bases on the continent.
It has military accords with several of its former colonies and recently helped the Chad government repulse rebels.
Sarkozy said the changes would mark a "major turning point", and that further details will be announced.
Analysts said the policy shift means that Paris's Africa policy would no longer focus on the French-speaking former colonies where the aim was to preserve spheres of influence on the African continent.
This policy was epitomised by Sarkozy's immediate predecessors, Francois Mitterrand and Jacques Chirac who developed personal links with Francophone African leaders and gave protection to their countries in exchange for political allegiance, votes at the UN, and lucrative deals with French firms.
Analysts said Sarkozy’s visit to South Africa, where he will address the Parliament, indicates that France is trying to rope in Anglo-African countries and widen its influence in world affairs.
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