In a formal letter to Cameroonian President Paul Biya, French President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged his country’s role in decades of violent repression in the central African nation. The letter states Macron’s intention to “assume the role and responsibility of France” for a brutal war against independence activists.
The correspondence was prompted by the findings of a Franco-Cameroonian historical commission. The commission’s report provided clear evidence of a war from 1945 to 1971, where French forces and their allies committed widespread violence. This support for repression extended beyond independence, propping up the authoritarian government of Ahmadou Ahidjo.
This move by Macron is part of a broader, though cautious, effort by France to reckon with its colonial legacy. Faced with growing anti-French sentiment in Africa, Paris is making strategic gestures to address historical grievances that have long been ignored. However, these gestures are often seen as incomplete.
Specifically, Macron’s letter did not include an apology or a commitment to reparations. For many observers and activists, this omission is significant. The call now is for France to move beyond words to concrete actions that can lead to genuine healing and justice for the victims of its colonial policies.