The International Action Against Terrorism is a French response to threats in a multi-faceted environment worldwide. The 2025 global counter-terrorism strategy of France is an example of the adjustment of its own position in the world- from operational control in the military sphere to financial and operational support-oriented assistance in building African-led security operations. The transition was brought about following several years of complicated military involvements in the Sahel and increased militancy by host countries against self-security.
The end of Operation Barkhane and regional realignments
Operation Barkhane reached its zenith by deploying almost 5,000 French soldiers in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad and Mauritania. Nevertheless, a sequence of coups in Mali (2021), Burkina Faso (2022), and Niger (2023) changed the moods in the political arena bringing in military regimes who insisted on taking complete control over their security matters.
At the end of 2023, France had withdrawn militarily in the case of Mali and Burkina Faso. The process of withdrawal in Niger was finalized by March 2024. French authorities characterised this shift not as a retreat, but rather as one of repositioning, abandoning speed of reaction forces in adjoining states and increasing non-combative functions such as information sharing and special operations instruction.
Supporting regional African security initiatives
While no longer present in large numbers on the ground, France continues to influence West African security frameworks. The Accra Initiative, originally founded to address spillover violence from the Sahel, has received increased French funding and operational advice. In parallel, France supports the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), a military coalition of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, though its backing has been more cautious due to rising Russian influence within these regimes.
Within the ECOWAS bloc, France has invested in training components of the proposed Standby Force, a multinational rapid deployment structure. French diplomats also work closely with Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Benin to strengthen border control and intelligence exchange as Sahelian insurgents push southward.
The broadening threat spectrum
Terrorist groups that were previously based in dedicated regions now spread out to effectuate cross-border fluid networks. France has responded by modifying its intelligence and diplomatic instruments to face a dispersed and more and more hybrid situation.
Evolving terrorist networks in the Sahel and beyond
By mid-2025, Sahel is the most violent place in the world in terms of terrorism as it contributes more than 52 percent of deaths related to terrorism around the world in the index of terrorism. ISIS-GS and Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), two of the most active armed factions, have shifted from territorial control to mobility-focused insurgency, particularly along Niger-Burkina Faso and Mali borders.
Such groups use informal trade networks, dissatisfaction in marginal society and state weakness. French intelligence has now put such organizations under observation as part of a larger regional model, tracing trends throughout West and Central Africa and escalating in coastal countries such as Togo and Cote d’Ivoire.
Preventing attacks in Europe and international cooperation
France has a considerable domestic interest in counter-terror vigilance as a result of major attacks experienced since the year 2015. To deal with the problem, in 2025, the Ministry of the Interior focuses on the layer-by-layer strategy: more binding coordination of the Schengen zone, greater cyber-police supervision of jihadist propaganda as well as long-term de-radicalization plans in schools and jails.
France coordinates a number of preventive operations with the help of Europaol and bilateral agreements with neighbouring countries in the EU. The Counter Terrorism Centre at Europol, either in The Hague or at its branch in its headquarters in Italy, has also foiled several plans in early 2025, including some involving recently returned Syrian or North African operatives.
Rethinking the 3Ds: diplomacy, development, defence
The right of passage of the anti-terror plan by France has evolved into a comprehensive framework that is founded in the three Ds, i.e., diplomacy, development, and defence. According to officials, no military champs by itself can avoid the radicalization without societal settlement and political integrity.
Comprehensive counter-terrorism approach
This was reaffirmed by President Emmanuel Macron, who, in a June 2025 summit in Dakar, stated that France would continue to take actions against the factors causing extremism. The 2025 aid portfolio of France has also over %2.5 billion apt to be devoted to West Africa, with aims of local governance reforms, youth employment schemes, and rural education facilities.
This security concept is based on developmental concepts that aim to prevent recruiting by ensuring that grievances are checked before the establishment of extremist narratives. But, the performance of this method depends upon the readiness of host governments to reforms, which has always been a problem in nations where the state is governed by military dictators or has a disjointed bureaucracy.
Human rights, accountability, and partnerships
France asserts itself as a check against totalitarian security providers like Russia Wagner Group with the aspect of responsibility and the rule of international humanitarian law. That is why French military and diplomatic missions involve civil society, religious figures, human rights defenders, in partner states to establish trust and check the abuse.
Still, there are worries. France has also been blamed by Amnesty International and the UN in cases of arms cooperation with a number of nations due to the lack of transparency to ensure that military aid is spent within the set requirements. Specifically, humanitarian access has been limited to Niger and Mali after joint operations with local troops and international contractors.
The national and international discourse on France’s role
The shift of fighting to cooperation has not brought about homogenous reactions both locally and internationally. Although the pivot can be considered as a practical and progressive move by the French leadership, critics warn of the emerging weaknesses, and the hidden long-term penetrative effects.
This individual has come out and made statements as well as described the state of affairs in the following terms: French Defence Minister Sebastian Lecornu told parliament in July 2025 that France has a new counter-terror posture are providing capabilities to partner countries. Lecornu noted that “security without development is unsustainable,” and unveiled new initiatives in drone surveillance, mobile logistics, and francophone officer training.
Other French legislators suggest that the drawback has lost power and allowed alternative players such as Russia to establish positions. Others, especially those in the Green and the Socialist blocs, emphasize the necessity to eliminate military cooperation and instead use peaceful cooperation of the civilian type so-called peacebuilding models. In the meantime, French President Emmanuel Macron won over some African leaders, with Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo touting support to the French-governed intelligence infrastructure but resisting the temptation of involving them in regional crises.
Balancing security, legitimacy, and adaptation in 2025
France’s 2025 strategy illustrates the complexities of navigating counter-terrorism in a multipolar world. The pivot away from unilateral military operations reflects an evolution rather than retreat—a recalibrated effort to build local capacity and reduce resentment.
This approach also acknowledges the reality that violent extremism thrives in governance vacuums, not only battlefield voids. France’s emphasis on legitimacy, development, and rights-based security aligns with a broader international consensus that terrorism cannot be eradicated through arms alone.
As terrorist tactics mutate and alliances shift, France’s counter-terror success will depend on its ability to support resilient institutions, promote inclusive governance, and foster credible local ownership of security. The stakes in this transformation are significant—not only for France’s role on the global stage but for the communities across Africa and Europe that bear the brunt of the evolving threat.
