France as a colonial power plundering Africa. An image from Disney’s latest movie “Black Panther – Wakanda Forever” about the Marvel universe. And this caused a kind of diplomatic incident between Paris and the US giant. “I strongly condemn this false and misleading representation of our military. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu angrily commented on Twitter.
📸|Propagande – In the first production of American Marvel (Black Panther Wakanda Forever), French mauvais mercenaries operating in Mali are soldiers of Operation Barkhane. pic.twitter.com/8qKJnutvL5
—Jean Bexon (@jean_bexon) 11 February 2023
The film (like the comic on which it is based) is set in Wakanda, a fictional African country whose main wealth is represented by a raw material (as well as fictitious), namely vibranium. The aims of Western states, especially the USA, are united on this metal. But in one scene, the Wakanda queen, after a speech at the UN, points to “aggressors” “hired by the French government” to steal the vibranium.
Journalist Jean Bexon added another element that ignited the debate: Foreign soldiers in Wakanda are said to have dressed like French soldiers who fought in Mali until last year. The issue is sensitive to French pride: The cross-alpine mission in the West African country that began in 2013 ended in a resounding failure in 2022. Paris soldiers who had come to Mali to fight the terrorists were forced to leave the country after being accused by the Bamako leaders of aiding the jihadists rather than opposing them. In the background are the increasingly close relations between Mali and Russia.
So would Mali become the Wakanda of the Marvel/Disney duo? The French ministry was convinced: “Black Panther offends our army”. But it also recognizes the freedom of a “work of art” that France does not want to be withdrawn or censored.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
