On a tour in Central Africa, French President Emmanuel Macron met Friday with Congolese President Denis Sassou-N'Guesso in Brazzaville.

Emmanuel Macron underlined among the subjects of bilateral interest the "memorial, historical and cultural" aspect.

Denis Sassou-N'Guesso listed the historical and tourist sites that the French president could see in Brazzaville when he comes for a longer period, referring to his visit which many Congolese considered too short. There is "the Savorgnan de Brazza memorial, the Poto-Poto painting school, the Félix-Eboué monument and so many others," he said.

I will be waiting for him here when we launch the summit of the three basins" (the three great forest basins of the world), added the Congolese president, on the theme of Emmanuel Macron's entire trip to countries of the Congo River basin and its tropical forest. The French president had arrived late afternoon in the capital of Congo from Angola, which was the second stop on his trip after Gabon. He left in the evening for Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), just across the river that gave its name to both countries. Before his departure, in a speech to the French community, he reaffirmed his ambition to "dust off" the relationship with Africa and hoped that "friendship" with the Congo is based on the "glorious" pages of their common history "to build new pages and reinvent them.

Emmanuel Macron's journey has a clear purpose: leave the "Françafrique" behind, with its shady practices and its networks of influence inherited from colonization, and adopt a new dynamic based on "humility" and pragmatic partnerships.

The Brazzaville stop, where Denis Sassou-Nguesso has ruled with a strong hand for nearly 40 years, appeared to be somewhat at odds with this new direction.

On the eve of his arrival, human rights organizations had asked the French president to pass on their preoccupations, a subject that was not publicly raised after the two heads of state met.

A DELICATE STEP

In Luanda, the French president participated in an economic forum focused on agriculture - in which more than 50 French companies took part - before meeting his Angolan counterpart, Joao Lourenço.

Cooperation agreements were signed to strengthen the Angolan agricultural sector, while the Portuguese-speaking southern African country imports a large part of its food products.

It is a "strategy of food sovereignty in which we believe for the African continent", consisting of "building balanced and reciprocal partnerships" and developing "Made in Africa" products which must become a reference", said the French president.

In Brazzaville, Emmanuel Macron also suggested an agricultural partnership on the model of Angola and Cameroon.

He also praised the role of Denis Sassou-N'Guesso in the African attempts to soothe the crisis in Libya.

In Luanda, he thanked President Lourenço for his "commitment to the stability of the region," mentioning the conflict in eastern DRC.

A delegation from the M23 rebellion active in the DRC was present in Luanda. However, no meeting took place between this delegation and the French presidency, according to the latter.

On Saturday in Kinshasa, Emmanuel Macron will talk about science and culture. But this stop, the last of his trip, will be delicate on another ground, as France is accused in the DRC of supporting Rwanda rather than Kinshasa against the rebellion in the east of the country.

After several small demonstrations this week, citizens' movements said that Mr. Macron was "not welcome".

Source : Africanews.com
Date : 06-03-2023