The Leader of the Official Opposition and President of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), the Honourable McHenry Venaani wishes to take this opportunity to warmly congratulate the French Republic for hosting a historic election in the body politic of that Republic. In the same vein, the Honourable McHenry Venaani also wishes to congratulate President Emmanuel Macron on not only winning the Presidency of France by a margin of 58.5 per cent but also effectively
becoming the first French president to be re-elected in twenty years.
The Honourable Venaani is aware that Africa has been a central part of President Macron’s foreign policy from the start of his tenure. This was motivated by his perception that a large number of global challenges with implications for France are concentrated in Africa. Whilst the Honourable Venaani is aware that President Macron tried to renew France’s diplomacy with African states. Towards this end, he notably visited seven African countries on his global tour, following his Presidential victory in 2017. Furthermore, domestically he sought to change policies towards Africa, starting with the commissioning of a parliamentary report on modernising French aid, which passed into law in August 2021. While on the international level, President Macron has pushed for more financial support for developing countries during the Covid-19 crisis and to enable an equitable recovery, whether through debt cancellation via the Paris Club or debt suspension
through the G20’s Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI).
However, President Macron’s efforts over the past five years to reshape the France–Africa relationship and establish a new narrative have certainly yielded limited results. External factors have not helped in this regard as his tenure coincided with a period of unprecedented crises. Thus, the Honourable Venaani impresses upon President Macron to emphasise France-Africa relations by squarely placing Africa as a central part of France’s policy as it is no secret that some 3.2 million
people of African descent live in France and one in ten inhabitants — 6.8 million in total — are immigrants, many of whom are from African countries.
A more effective partnership with Africa should focus on issues of mutual interest. French priorities will help guide this, but African priorities set by African citizens and their institutions should also inform where mutual benefits lie, and where France can add value. These include, but are not limited to; Investing in climate and energy resilience as France would do well to invest in renewable energy and natural gas in line with commitments made at COP26 to increase energy
production in Africa. Whilst also pushing the EU to deliver on its Africa agenda such as EU reforms in policy areas that have an impact on Africa (e.g. migration and asylum).
In closing, the Honourable Venaani and the greater PDM at large wishes President Macron success in his second tenure of governance and wish him the very best as he navigates the French Republic through this turbulent and volatile geopolitical environment. The Honourable Venaani looks forward to constructive cooperation between the French Republic and the African Continent.
