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Relations between France and sub-Saharan Africa are strained over the issue of press freedom. New events in Mali, where the LCI news channel was suspended, illustrate this problem. The event raises questions about the diversity of information in the region.
The Malian authorities, led by Colonel Assimi Goita, have suspended the LCI news channel, a subsidiary of TF1, for two months. The suspension, which came into effect on August 23, 2024, was based on what the Malian authorities called “false accusations” spread by an LCI consultant against the Malian army and its Russian allies, particularly the Wagner paramilitary group. The issue is a program aired on July 27, 2024, entitled “ Wagner murdered in Mali: at the hands of Kiev », LCI then mentioned Mali army and Wagner suffered a crushing defeat Confronting separatists and jihadists in the north of the country.
The suspension comes against the backdrop of a growing crackdown on foreign media in Mali, which has forced journalists from several international media outlets to leave the country or cease their activities. Malian authorities have removed a large number of media from the packaging of all audiovisual distributors authorized in Mali, thus depriving a large part of the Malian population of international information sources.
Root cause of suspension
Like other French media suspensions in sub-Saharan Africa, LCI’s suspension is due to a number of factors. Malian authorities are reacting to what they see as an attack on the country’s sovereignty and stability. As a result, coverage and analysis of sensitive topics, such as military operations and alliances with external actors such as Wagner, are seen as a threat to government authority.
Moreover, the suspension also reflects the current political tensions in Mali. Since the military takeover, the Malian government has shown increasing sensitivity to any criticism from abroad, especially from former colonial power France. LCI, as a French media outlet, has been targeted for the content of its broadcasts and for the ongoing distrust of French influence in the country.
Consequences of the suspension and regional context
The suspension of LCI activities in Mali comes against the backdrop of similar measures against French media in Niger and Burkina Faso, which have tightened the quarantine of civilians.
French media have been banned from broadcasting in sub-Saharan Africa several times over the past 18 months, marking an escalation in tensions between governments in the region and France. The LCI channel will be suspended in June 2023. Previously, RFI was forced to shut down in December 2022 and France 24 in March 2023 for broadcasting information deemed subversive by the ruling military government.
Similarly, in Niger, the new authorities decided in August 2023 Suspension of RFI and French 24-hour signalfollowing in the footsteps of Mali and Burkina Faso. These suspensions, often justified by protecting national security or fear of instability, illustrate the distrust of French media, which are seen as vectors of foreign influence and criticism of the current regime. These actions have far-reaching implications not only for freedom of information, but also for democracy and international relations.
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