The Debate on the Postcolonial Order and the Construction of “Françafrique” (1940s-1950s)

The article is devoted to the analysis of the concept of “Francafrique” as a form of postcolonial discourse and a special model of Franco-African relations that emerged during the period of decolonization and continued to exist in the postcolonial era. The author's focus is to examine the transformation of the concept of “Françafrique” from a neologism that first emerged in the post-World War II period in a positive way to a critical discourse that reflects the hidden neocolonial logic of the relationship between France and African states, especially in the Sahel and Central African zone. The article examines the political and symbolic dimension of this phenomenon. The study analyzes the evolution of the public and intellectual perception of “Françafrique” from the period of the formation of the French Community in 1958 in the context of the Cold War to contemporary debates about the need to rethink Franco-African ties given the emergence of a multipolar world. The research assesses the contribution of the French human rights organization Survie, in deconstructing the official narrative and denouncing the mechanisms underlying the Franco-African partnership. The author also emphasizes the role of memory, language and political myths in the reproduction of neocolonial structures. The study is based on a critical discursive approach, drawing on historical sources such as official statements by French and African political figures. The article aims to identify the mechanisms of ideological and institutional reproduction of France's postcolonial influence in Africa.

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