Emmanuel Macron arrived late Thursday evening in the Angolan capital and must stay there for a few hours to meet with his Angolan counterpart João Lourenço at the end of the morning, before leaving for Brazzaville.
With our special correspondent in Luanda, Paulina Zidi
The idea of this visit to Angola does not date from yesterday since this trip was planned three years ago. In fact, it was part of President Macron’s desire, during his first term, to leave the French backyard and meet new partners. But in the meantime, there was the health crisis, this visit was repeatedly postponed before finding its place in this tour in Central Africa. ” Better late than never “, told RFI the Angolan President João Lourenço.
► Listen and read again: João Lourenço, Guest Africa
It is therefore with a large delegation that the French president arrived this Thursday evening in Luanda, for a visit where it will mainly be a question of the economy. An economic forum must also take place in the morning.
Angola must now prepare for the post-oil era, a sector in which France has a great interest in the country, almost all of French revenue comes from petroleum products.
To diversify this economy and fight against food insecurity, France wants to provide aid to develop agriculture. “ The potential of this sector is enormous indeed, explains a specialist in the region, but there are still far too many gaps to fill: energy, infrastructure, etc. »
Finally, João Lourenço and Emmanuel Macron should discuss the situation in eastern DRC. Luanda is one of the mediators in the M23 crisis and France also tried to mediate between Congolese and Rwandans in September in New York. So many initiatives that have so far failed. The Angolan president nevertheless told RFI that contacts with the rebellion were initiated on February 28: “ without result at this stage “, he recognized (read below).
■ Develop partnerships, change software
By Valerie Gas
After Angola, the French head of state will join Congo-Brazzaville during the day and will be in the DRC in the evening. A trip at a run: four countries in three days, Emmanuel Macron wants to make this visit profitable. A sustained pace for a president in a hurry to praise his new method with African countries.
Each time, a theme and always the idea of developing partnerships. In Gabon, it was around the forest, in Angola it’s around agriculture to help the country use its potential as “breadbasket of Central Africa”. In the Congo, questions of entrepreneurship and memory will be dominant. And in the DRC culture.
An adviser to Emmanuel Macron summarizes the presidential intention: “ ensure that France is a reference partner “. ” Anything but an old-fashioned visit to maintain collusion, or secure economic interests “, we promise to the Elysée. A way of responding to the criticisms aroused by this trip to Gabon, particularly when the presidential election is to take place in a few months and some have suspected Emmanuel Macron of coming to dub Ali Bongo.
Illustrating the software change in relations with African countries, the main ambition of this trip that Emmanuel Macron’s entourage reminds us at all times, is not so easy.
Following the Addis Ababa summit held in mid-February, direct contacts were made on February 28 with the M23 by the Angolan authorities, explained President João Lourenço yesterday on the antennas of RFI. In Kinshasa, the government spokesman, Patrick Muyaya, explained why the Congolese authorities accepted the principle of this approach and insisted on the urgency of achieving results.