The Evolution of France`s African Policy During Francois Holland`s Presidency (Operation “Serval” in Mali)

The paper presents a study of the French foreign policy in West Africa during the presidency of Francois Holland. The work focuses on the influence of French intervention in the internal affairs of Mali, as such action could actually prevent the disintegration of the country and the destabilization of the international security in the region. One of the main features of this paper is that French military presence in the country was not limited only to the normalization of the Mali 's political stability, but also included a post-war security operations in the region and the creation of the military organization of the local countries. The study includes the review of the two military operations, named “Serval” and “Barhane”. The result of the work is an improved understanding of the French contribution to the fight against terrorism and the creation of an effective system of collective security in West Africa capable of preventing internal conflicts within countries without any external intervention. During the study it was used explicative, prognostic and methods of situation analysis in the framework of the structural realist theory. Key words: French foreign policy, West Africa, French intervention, Mali, Serval, Barhane