Part 5/9:
With Algeria firmly under French control, the attention shifted back to West Africa, culminating in the establishment of French West Africa in the late 19th century. This vast territory comprised present-day countries such as Senegal, Mali, Mauritania, and Ivory Coast. The French administration imposed its culture and language, while indigenous traditions faced suppression. Exploitation of the region's resources escalated, and infrastructure development, while ostensibly beneficial, often relied on forced labor and displacement of local populations.