Emmanuel Macron will begin a four-day tour of Africa on Wednesday with a summit in Gabon to protect equatorial forests, less than six months before the presidential election.
Macron Arrived in Africa to visit four countries: the two Congos, Angola and Gabon, where he landed at around 7pm on Wednesday, March 1. The French presidency is co-hosting the One Forest Summit, a summit to protect equatorial forests. The visit was not unanimous on the spot, as the presidential election is less than six months away. The Bongo dynasty ruled the country in equatorial Africa for nearly half a century.
During the next election period, current President Ali Bongo is considering a third term.For its critics, Emmanuel Macron’s visit was not seen as a good one, given the past and links between France and Gabon. Eye. The young technician Kévin asks himself the purpose of his trip: “PFor the forest or for Ali Bongo? If Emmanuel Macron comes to house the Bongos, we will rise up. Gabon is an independent country. “
no antifa sentiment
But this is not the vision of all naysayers. “Contrary to what Ali Bongo might think, there areEmanuel Macron will not raise his voice to anyone as the presidential election debate is on domestic political issues, Jean-Gaspard NToutoume Ayi, vice-chairman of the National Union (UN) political party, affirmed. In a worst-case scenario for Alibongo, it could increase turnout in elections, to his detriment. ”
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Jean-Gaspard NToutoume Ayi, on the other hand, has reservations about the election after the election if the result is questioned like every recent election. This reluctance is based on lessons he has learned from previous presidential elections.
“In 2009, the French consulate was burned because Gabonese heard Nicolas Sarkozy’s friend Robert Bourgui claim Alibongo was France’s candidate, Jean-Gaspard NToutoume Ayi explained on franceinfo. But François Hollande was the first president not to come to Gabon for a full term in office from 2012 to 2017. The French never worried about being French because of François Hollande’s attitude. My fear is that we could be facing something close to 2009, when the French are singled out by an outraged public over Emmanuel Macron’s trip to Gabon. ”
Especially since there is no anti-French sentiment in Gabon today, some people disapprove, but nothing before that could generate rejection.
Gabon’s opponents criticize Emmanuel Macron’s visit: report by Jean-Sébastien Soldini
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