A TikTok video published on September 7, 2026, claims to show French President Emmanuel Macron apologizing to African countries for colonization. In the video, Macron appears to say, "My dear African people, I stand before you today with humility and respect. France recognizes the injustices, suffering, and crimes of colonization. We have broken lives, fractured cultures, and we bear responsibility for this." However, a fact-check by PesaCheck found that the video is manipulated.
According to PesaCheck, the video was actually recorded in June 2021 during a visit by Macron to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, France. At the time, Macron announced the launch of COVID-19 vaccination for 12-18 year olds, the reopening of borders, and the gradual lifting of restrictions. A reverse image search revealed that the video has been circulating since June 2021.
Further analysis by PesaCheck using Hive Moderation and DeepFake-O-Meter revealed that the audio content of the video was generated by artificial intelligence with a high degree of accuracy, 98.9% and 99.9% respectively. Additionally, a close observation of the video showed a discrepancy between Macron's lip movements, arm gestures, and the audio being played.
A Google search with keywords "Emmanuel Macron apologize to Africa" revealed that Macron has not presented an official apology or request for pardon to the African continent for colonization. In January 2023, Macron stated in an interview with Kamel Daoud that he did not need to apologize to Algeria for colonization.
Macron has, however, taken steps to acknowledge France's past actions in Africa. In May 2021, he requested that the Rwandan people forgive France for its role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide, although he did not issue an official apology. In August 2025, he recognized the war waged by France against the Union of Cameroonian Populations (UPC) between 1945 and 1971.
PesaCheck is a fact-checking initiative that aims to help the public distinguish between fact and fiction in public statements, particularly those related to public finances and service delivery. The organization is a joint initiative of Code for Africa, with support from Deutsche Welle Akademie, and partners with local African media and civil society organizations.
The fact-check was written by Ibrahima Olou Ndiaye and edited by Josaphat Finogbé, with approval from PesaCheck's editor-in-chief, Doreen Wainainah. PesaCheck's work is incubated by Code for Africa, the largest accelerator of civic technology and data journalism on the continent.
Key points
- The video of Emmanuel Macron apologizing to African countries for colonization is manipulated using artificial intelligence.
- Macron has not presented an official apology or request for pardon to the African continent for colonization.
- PesaCheck is a fact-checking initiative that aims to combat misinformation in Africa.
