Macron to visit Nigeria — French ambassador

French President Emmanuel Macron will undertake a State visit to Nigeria this Fall, the French Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Marc Fonbaustier, has announced, describing the trip as an opportunity for both countries to review their growing strategic partnership and chart a new course for future cooperation.

Fonbaustier made the announcement while delivering his address at the celebration of France’s National Day on Tuesday night in Abuja.

Revealing what he described as a scoop, the ambassador said Macron’s visit would come two years after President Bola Tinubu’s State visit to Paris.

He said, “Secondly, a scoop. I am pleased and honored to announce that, two years after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s State visit to Paris, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, will travel to Nigeria for another State visit this fall.

“Together, our two Presidents will assess the progress of our roadmap and outline the key elements of our relationship for the years to come. These will undoubtedly be ambitious and mutually beneficial for our two peoples.”

The envoy said the relationship between Nigeria and France was founded on equality, stressing that both countries regarded each other as partners of equals.

“In a chaotic world searching for meaning, I would like to talk to you about values. I would like to focus on the three values that accompanied the birth of the French Republic: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.

“First and foremost, Equality. I say this, and I say it with pride, that the partnership between Nigeria and France is, in reality, not just in words, a partnership between equals.

“This equality among members of the international community is the cornerstone of the United Nations Charter, which Nigeria and France continue to defend, against all odds.

“In our bilateral relationship, this principle has concrete implications. It means avoiding prejudice, not imposing anything, and not interfering. On the contrary, it means listening to each other, communicating openly, and making decisions together.

“I stand before you tonight to say that, together, Nigerians and French people, we fully respect the spirit and profound meaning of this word: Equality. Our common interests are clearly stated and understood,” the envoy stated.

Fonbaustier noted that both countries shared the common goals of economic and social development, job creation, and environmental protection.

“We want the economic and social development of both our countries, for our citizens, for job creation, and for improving the standards of living, with due respect for the environment, biodiversity, water and air,” he said.

Fonbaustier highlighted recent commercial partnerships between Carrefour and HyperCity, Accor and Shoreline, as well as Canal+’s acquisition of MultiChoice, saying the collaborations reflected growing economic ties and would enrich television programming in Nigeria.

The ambassador also commended the initiative led by Abdul Samad Rabiu to establish a House of African Worlds in Paris.

On democracy and governance, he said Nigeria and France remained committed to democracy, the rule of law, freedom of expression, and equal opportunities for women and men.

He added that the French Embassy continued to support women, young people, and persons with disabilities to promote their economic and social empowerment.

Fonbaustier also underscored ongoing cooperation in agriculture through the French Development Agency, particularly projects aimed at strengthening food security and agricultural value chains in northern Nigeria and across the ECOWAS region.

He said, “We are working together on agricultural issues, particularly to strengthen food security, in Nigeria of course, but also throughout the region together with ECOWAS.

“I would like to underscore the commitment of the AFD (French Development Agency) in the North, particularly its project on agricultural value chains, which complements another innovative project focused on market access, often in very remote areas.

“There are many other collaborative projects. All of them are shaped jointly.”

Speaking on security, he said Nigeria and France shared a commitment to strategic autonomy and the global fight against terrorism.

“Our two countries have repeatedly demonstrated this, through their unfailing and resolute commitment to the global fight against terrorism,” he said.

He added that both countries were working together to support nations seeking to strengthen their capacity to combat terrorism.

“In the face of terrorism, which is affecting the entire region, Nigeria and France are working together to assist countries eager to strengthen their capabilities, in order to better combat this scourge that destroys lives, communities and ultimately, our core values,” he said.

The ambassador stressed that the region needed a strong Nigeria, while Nigeria also required a united and mobilised region to confront insecurity.

On broader international relations, Fonbaustier described the France-Nigeria partnership as part of a wider strategic relationship between Europe and Africa, saying both continents were working together to promote stability, the rule of law, and global cooperation.

He also disclosed that Macron’s vision for Africa was shaped in part by his six-month stay in Nigeria as a student 24 years ago.

The new relationship between Africa and France was, in some way, born in Nigeria or ‘Made in Nigeria’. Because a young man, Emmanuel Macron, spent six significant and formative months in this country while he was a student, 24 years ago.

“He himself admits that this foundational experience inspired the broad outlines of his vision for the continent and his African diplomacy,” he said.