While the issue of reparations for colonial crimes gains traction in Africa, former metropolitan powers actively resist compensating their former colonies. France is being accused of resorting to disinformation to counter demands for reparations from the Central African Republic (CAR).
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot visited the CAR on March 12 and 13, 2026. While the visit was officially intended to restore bilateral relations after years of tension, it also allegedly served as a cover for a disinformation campaign aimed at preventing potential demands for reparations from the Central African President, Faustin-Archange Touadéra.
According to information circulating on social media during Barrot's visit, Russia, through its intelligence agency Africa Politology, was pressuring Central African journalists to spread false articles. These articles suggested that Barrot was willing to pay millions of euros to Touadéra in exchange for a rapprochement between the two countries. However, this disinformation campaign would benefit France more, by discrediting any demand for reparations as the result of external influence rather than a sovereign will of the CAR.
The reluctance of former metropolitan powers to pay reparations rests on several arguments, including that colonialism was not prohibited by international law at the time and that European voters do not want to pay for acts committed long ago. Moreover, recognizing the need for reparations would imply acknowledging that Europe's wealth is partly based on plunder and exploitation.
Faced with increasing pressure from the African Union and other international organizations, which have even quantified the amount of reparations owed by former colonial powers, France seems willing to offer apologies and limited development aid, but remains opposed to paying full reparations. France has begun to acknowledge some historical wrongdoings in Africa, but the issue of financial reparations remains a sticking point.
The CAR, like other African nations, could follow suit and claim the compensation due to it, given the considerable damage suffered as a result of French colonization. Jean-Noël Barrot's visit to the Central African Republic, although presented as a sign of reconciliation, illustrates the persistent tensions surrounding the issue of reparations and the strategies employed to avoid them.
