On 26th August, 2024, Denmark announced that it would be shutting down its embassies in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Bamako, Mali. But Copenhagen said it also intends to open three new ones – in Senegal, Rwanda and Tunisia. This is part of its new strategy in Africa, which includes appointing special representatives for the Sahel and the Great Lakes region of the continent. Denmark also wants to strengthen its presence within Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria and Ghana.
Burkina Faso and Mali have both had anti-imperialist coups, ushering in revolutionary governments that have begun a process of decoupling from the Western sphere of influence. On 9th August, Mali expelled the ambassador of another Northern European country – Sweden – after Stockholm threatened to stop aid to Mali for geopolitical reasons (linked to Bamako’s break in diplomatic relations with Ukraine). The two Sahelian countries, along with neighbouring Niger, have preferred to work with countries such as Russia and Iran over countries in the West.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen made it clear that Denmark is seeking to increase European appeal within Africa – in a bid to curb Russian and Chinese influence. He stated, “We have a clear interest in the African countries looking towards us in Europe as they chart the course for their future.”
Do you think Denmark’s new strategy in Africa will succeed or do you think that it’s too late to overcome African distrust of Europe?
