The presence of France in Africa: Relations between France and Guinea

The African continent is a very rich region in terms of human and natural resources. Almost unknown before the fifth century, but by the seventh century, this continent was discovered and exploited for many years by various expeditions, especially by Europeans. The African continent was originally home to several kingdoms and empires. As Europeans came to the African continent to explore, empires and kingdoms witnessed a massive influx of missionaries, traders, and explorers, as well as their lands being plundered, and their people exploited. Europeans long visited African coasts before advancing into the deep regions. As a result of the visits, Europeans established settlements in these regions. Particularly in West Africa were the Songhay, Sosso, Mali and Ghana empires and the Bambara, Oyo, Kanem-Bornou, Dahomey, Fuuta, and Macina kingdoms… with political administration systems linked to their cultures and beliefs. However, with the arrival of the Europeans, the hospitality behaviour from the existing culture began to change towards the opposite behaviour because the primary purpose of missionaries, traders and explorers were to exploit resources and people. The other issue on the ground was the rivalry between the European powers. "Which territory for which power?" Was the question to which an answer had to be found. To answer this question, the Berlin Conference was held between 1884-1885, where 14 European powers came together. Among them mainly, England, France, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy are some of the countries that showed a desire to acquire a territory in Africa. After the conference immediately, they began to carry out their programs resulting in the birth of several African states today that are different in their official languages due to colonial exploitation. The presence of European powers in Africa caused the continent's division into several territories, which have now become independent states. This division did not consider the ties of cultures, languages, beliefs or kinships that existed between them. It is simply the result of the European explorers' efforts and the will of the colonial power. France colonized the largest African territories, significantly ahead of England and Portugal. France thus acquired territories through its colonial policy in all parts of Africa, especially in West and Equatorial Africa, where French West Africa and French Equatorial Africa are located. With the decolonization movements triggered after the Second World War, the countries in the French territory in the north (Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria) took the lead in demanding their independence. In 1958, a French-dominated area in sub-Saharan Africa voted "No" in the French Fifth Republic's referendum proposing a French community in Africa. Thus, this territory, known as the "Rivers of the South" before colonization and "French Guinea" during colonization, became the "People's and the Revolutionary Republic of Guinea" in the early years of its independence. In this literature, the presence of European powers in Africa through their arrival, the reasons for their presence, the resistance movements against them, the Berlin conference and the beginning of colonialism, and the independence movements after the Second World War will be explained. A particular study will be made on the relationship between Guinea and its colonial power France.