Print Magazine
Brussels Morning Newspaper
Saturday, September 23, 2023
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
    • About Us
  • EU institutions
    • Commission
    • Parliament
    • Council
  • Europe
  • World
  • Economy
  • Culture and Society
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
Brussels Morning Newspaper
  • Home
    • About Us
  • EU institutions
    • Commission
    • Parliament
    • Council
  • Europe
  • World
  • Economy
  • Culture and Society
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
Brussels Morning Newspaper
No Result
View All Result
Home World Diplomacy

Macron starts his Western African tour

Nikola Kiš by Nikola Kiš
25 July 2022
in Diplomacy
French,President,Emmanuel,Macron,Arrives,At,The,First,Face-to-face,Eu
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Belgium, (Brussels Morning Newspaper) French President Emmanuel Macron started his four-day tour of Western Africa on Monday.

The main topic of his discussions with officials in Cameroon, Benin and Guinea-Bissau will be food supply issues, according to France24 reporting.

African nations fear potential shortages of food, especially grain, in the wake of the war in Ukraine.

Besides the looming food crisis, Macron is to discuss security concerns as France wraps up its withdrawal from Mali this year and neighbouring countries fear jihadist insurgencies.

One of Macron’s election promises was to strengthen cooperation with African countries and address concerns that other powers are looking to strengthen their influence in Western Africa, including China, Russia and Turkey.

A French official pointed out that Macron’s tour “will show the commitment of the president in the process of renewing the relationship with the African continent.”

Macron is to meet President of Cameroon Paul Biya who took office in 1982 and is the longest-ruling non-royal head of state in the world.

Biya has been cracking down on separatists and rejecting calls for federalism, with France supplying the country with weapons and military training as the largest foreign investor.

Jihadist threat

On Wednesday, Macron is to visit Benin which has been facing jihadist attacks, especially in the north of the country.

While Benin received praise for its multi-party democracy, critics warn that democracy in the Western African nation has been eroding under President Patrice Talon since he took office in April of 2016.

Opposition leader and former Finance Minister Reckya Madougou was arrested last year and sentenced to 20 years in prison for complicity in terrorist acts.

On Thursday, Macron is to wrap up his Western African tour with a visit to Guinea-Bissau.

Activists have criticised all three Western African countries for violation of human rights, with the Élysée Palace stressing that Macron will discuss the issue “without media noise, but in the form of direct exchanges between the heads of states.”Last week, Macron announced plans to rethink France’s military presence in Western Africa by autumn, stressing that deployment of French troops in the region was still a “strategic necessity.”

Tags: French President Emmanuel MacronMain-SliderWestern African tour
Follow Brussels Morning
Facebook Twitter Youtube Linkedin

About Us

Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.

More Info

  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Cookie Policy
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • Jobs

Categories

  • Belgium News
  • Brussels
  • Culture and Society
  • Economy
  • EU Institutions
  • Commission
  • Council
  • Parliament
  • Europe
  • Features
  • Health & Fitness
  • In Depth
  • Ambassador’s Corner
  • Europe With Transparency
  • Place de la Bourse
  • Southeast Europe
  • Sustainable Perspective
  • The American Angle
  • The Macro-Economist
  • Member States
  • Opinion
  • Our pick
  • Uncategorised
  • World
  • Diplomacy
  • Middle East Eye
  • US Elections
  • Join Our Newsletter

    Brussels Morning Newspaper – All Rights Reserved © 2020

    No Result
    View All Result
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Brussels Bubble
      • Parliament
      • Commission
      • Council
    • Wider Europe
      • Member States
    • World
    • Business & Society
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Culture & Society
    • Policy Talks
      • Place de la Bourse
      • The Macro-Economist
      • Sustainable Perspective
      • Ambassador’s Corner
      • The American Angle
      • Southeast Europe
    • Print Magazine

    Brussels Morning Newspaper - All Rights Reserved © 2020

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Cookie settingsACCEPT
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT