Regularly taken to task, particularly in Africa, France has decided to take a more active role in the information war by raising “
influence
” to the rank of “
strategic priority
”, Emmanuel Macron announced on Wednesday November 9.
"
We will not be patient spectators
" witnessing the spread of false information or narratives hostile to France, said the French president in Toulon, presenting the priorities of France's defense strategy, without explicitly targeting any country.
In recent years, Paris has regularly claimed to have been the target of campaigns of disinformation and manipulation of opinions
via
social networks, orchestrated by foreign powers such as Russia or Turkey.
hybrid warfare
Faced with this form of hybrid warfare, which takes place in a multitude of theatres, including immaterial ones such as that of information, France wants to be more aggressive.
The situation in the Sahel illustrates the evolution of the French posture over the years and the putting in working order of the means of the State.
After being somewhat taken aback by the rise of anti-French sentiment attributed to Russian intrigues, the French authorities mobilized.
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The Armies have stepped up to the plate, for example to attribute to the Russian paramilitary group Wagner the construction of a mass grave near a former French base supposed to make it possible to accuse the French soldiers.
Then the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which reacted quickly during the last coup in Burkina Faso to deny that France was harboring the overthrown head of state.
Or even preventively, during the violent repression of demonstrations in Chad, to affirm that France had nothing to do with these events.
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"
We have seen enough how in Africa (...) often at the instigation of external actors, malicious stories take hold, be multiplied by games of mirrors, bots, trolls
", accused Emmanuel Macron.
The requirement to "convince"
"
Influence will now be a strategic function, endowed with substantial resources
", he explained, specifying that this would be done at interministerial level, with "
for its international application, a central role for the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
”.
France will have to know how to “
detect without delay
” these forms of hybrid warfare, “
hinder
” them and “
in our turn, but in the manner of a democracy, get ahead of it, use it to our advantage
”, declared Mr. Macron.
Paris is therefore putting its resources in order, both internally and externally.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has set up a sub-directorate for monitoring and strategy, and the General Staff of the Armed Forces has appointed a general in charge of these issues.
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On the French internal theater, the government created Viginum last year, a body responsible for detecting interference in democratic life, and the various state security services have resources allocated to this subject.
Strict respect for the rule of law
Outside France, in addition to the defensive component, Paris also wants to develop an active policy to promote its action.
"
Convincing is clearly part of the strategic requirements
," said the French president.
"
It is up to us to think about the promotion
" of France's action, "
without pride, but without unwelcome inhibition
", he added.
On the other hand, the various sources interviewed by AFP all assured that France's action would always remain in strict compliance with the rule of law.
And without resorting to the same means as the illiberal states accused of being behind this hybrid war, this "
digital bestiary
" set up by "
our rivals to challenge our security and our influence and spread, in addition to false stories, an appetite for violence , to manipulate civilian populations
”, in the words of the president.
"
We are not going to create troll farms
" to artificialize the spread of certain information, says a security source.
