What is French President Nicolas Sarkozy up to in Africa?

This is the question analysts are asking following the announcement by Paris last week that it would ferry supplies to Kenyan troops fighting Islamist militias in Somalia.

The French recently stepped up operations against Al Qaeda in North Africa after French citizens were kidnapped by the jihadists.

This year alone, France has led military interventions in Libya and Ivory Coast, being the first country to recognise the Libyan rebels and to launch air strikes against the late Muammar Gaddafi’s forces.

However, France’s visible role in supporting Kenya’s military action against Al Shabaab is a significant departure, signalling the country’s ambition to expand its sphere of influence to the greater East and Horn of Africa region.

Last month, French oil multinational Total announced it had acquired stakes in key blocks off the coast of Lamu, strengthening a comeback by giant firms eyeing opportunities in Kenya’s oil exploration business. 

Speculation is rife that France, like the other Nato allies who helped overthrow Gaddafi, will be expecting payback from Libya’s new regime in the form of lucrative business contracts and in reconstructing the country.

It is also said to be keen on preserving lucrative oil deals made under the former regime.

Meanwhile, African Intelligence, a continental news service, reported in April that Paris was in negotiations with Nairobi to sell it the La Rieuse series of patrol boats, for the Kenyan navy to use to fight piracy on the waters of the Indian Ocean.

“This boat became surplus to requirements after the restructuring of the French armed forces. The contract has not yet been signed, but the French ambassador to Nairobi Etiene de Poncins accompanied by embassy defence attaché Colonel Henri Leblanc met the Kenyan Minister for Defence on March 16 to push the matter forward,” the news service reported.

To further fuel the thinking that Mr Sarkozy is keen to increase France’s sphere of influence in Africa and especially in East Africa, more Paris based multinationals are setting up shop in the region and his government has increased funding to key development projects.

Paris, not content with Francophone Africa, has been aggressively spreading its activities to English-speaking countries, with South Africa and Kenya the primary targets.

Over the past five years, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and recently Rwanda have been recipients of French investments, especially in the energy sector, while trade has surged and France has entered into a host of military agreements, defence pacts and bases around the continent.

Sarkozy’s address to the 16th African Union Summit in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa on January 30 this year was unequivocal about France’s future engagement with Africa. “We’re not as far apart as is believed. Yes, there was colonisation, yes, there are disagreements, but today, geography brings us together. If we want to control migration flows and combat terrorism, we must help you succeed in your economic development. France is convinced of this reality,” said Mr Sarkozy.

Growing trade

Statistics show trade between Kenya and France grew by at least 10 per cent, with official development body Agence Française de Developpement giving the country $124 million –– 27 per cent of all development aid last year.

French companies such as France Telecom and oil major Total are already major players in the Kenyan economy.

According to the Economic Survey 2010, the value of exports from Kenya to France rose to $49.9 million in 2009, from $45 million in 2006, while imports surged to $186.5 million from $124.5 million during the same period.

“While most of the world’s leading economies such as the US, Britain and China have been diversifying their interests in East Africa, France has recently come on board and Paris seems to have renewed its push to strengthen ties with the region,” said Prof Macharia Munene, who teaches international relations at the United States International University, Nairobi.

In April, the French government through the Agence Francaise de Developpement offered Nairobi a concessional loan of 56 million euros ($78.96 million) to be used to procure two geothermal drilling rigs and prepare a national power generation and transmission master plan.

The agency has provided similar funding to Uganda and Tanzania for investment in renewable energy under its regional technical assistance programme.

Meanwhile, three years after Kigali severed diplomatic ties with France, the Rwandan embassy in Paris was officially reopened in March. Last month, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame visited Paris in what was largely seen as a fence-mending mission with France.

In November 2006, the Cabinet had decided to cut diplomatic ties with France when French judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere issued arrest warrants against nine Rwandan officials.

In May, the French development agency said it planned to double its financial commitment to Tanzania to $150 million from the current $70 million annually.