The present study examines the idiosyncrasies of both the political and economic relationship between the state of France and the West African countries within the CFA franc zone. The CFA franc zone is an economic and monetary area built on a fixed exchange rate to France’s Euro, granting it control over CFA franc member nations’ monetary policies. Focusing on Sustainable Development Goal 17 (SDG 17) – and with particular attention to targets 17.3, 17.4, and 17.11 – the following research aims to assess how this arrangement influences the possibilities for achieving member states’ sustainable development. Findings illustrate how the four main constraints of the system hinder CFA franc zone member states’ possibilities of economic growth. Consequently, any effort of French financial aid is ineffective insofar as the inherent conditions do not allow West African member states to develop on their own. The status quo ante helps understand the current setting, given that the CFA franc zone echoes the colonial continuity of France in the region. Emerging tertiary powers that have offset the classic colonial dependencies beg the question of whether there will be a significant shift in the CFA franc zone relationships. Gained consciousness of the issue has prompted the emergence of alternatives, most notably the ECOWAS project, although success is still premature. Full decision-making power should be completely vested in the CFA franc member states, allowing them to determine the most suitable course for their economic agreements, and, by extension, their development paths.
