Macron attempts to re-assert waning French influence on central African trip

Some African leaders turned to Russians in the Wagner mercenary group to counter the advance of terror groups al-Qaeda and Islamic State in their countries. Photograph: Getty Images French president Emmanuel Macron arrived in Gabon on Wednesday at the start of a four-day journey through central Africa, with the goal of reversing the decline of French influence on the continent. France ended its anti-insurgency Barkhane operation in Mali last August and pulled out of Burkina Faso at the end of February at the request of hostile military juntas. In a speech at the à‰lysée before his departure, Macron said that…