Emmanuel Macron qualifies as “shame” the remarks of the Prime Minister on an “abandonment” by France

Emmanuel Macron described Thursday, September 30 as ” shame “ the accusations of“Abandonment” of Mali by France brought by the transitional Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maïga to the UN platform.

” I was shocked. These words are unacceptable (…). While yesterday we presided over the national tribute to Sergeant Maxime Blasco [tué au combat au Mali], it is unacceptable. It is a shame and it dishonours what is not even a government ”, declared the Head of State in responding to RFI on the sidelines of the closing dinner of the Africa2020 cultural season at the Elysee Palace.

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Paris had already strongly condemned in recent days the remarks made on Saturday by Mr. Maïga, who affirmed that the announcement by Emmanuel Macron in June of the reorganization of the French military presence, with the scheduled end of operation “Barkhane”, represented “A kind of abandonment in full flight”.

“I know the Malians don’t think that”, estimated Emmanuel Macron, stressing that “The legitimacy of the current government”, resulting from two coups d’état since 2020, was “Democratically null”.

“Let the junta leaders do their job”

“We are demanding because we are committed, we want to fight against terrorism and for security”, he added. “We are here because the Malian state asked for it. Without France, Mali would be in the hands of terrorists ”, according to him.

He said he expected junta leaders “That they respect their commitments: that in February there will be elections, that they stop putting in prison the political opponents, that they do their job, that is to say the return of the State , which they haven’t been doing for months ”.

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“We will continue with development projects” in Mali alongside the international community. Corn “This work cannot be done if the leaders do not take their responsibilities”, he warned.

“It’s not inevitable”, he continued, giving the example of Niger, a country neighboring Mali, where there is “A courageous president, President Bazoum, after another courageous president, President Issoufou, who do their utmost, fight for their people, education, health… They do an admirable job”.

“Recognize the place of African youth”

After visiting with his wife Brigitte the exhibition of the Ghanaian artist El Anatsui at the Conciergerie, Emmanuel Macron received for dinner the actors and partners of the Africa2020 season, which ended on Thursday.

He congratulated himself on the success of this long event which, since December 2020, has gathered more than 4 million spectators in 1,500 artistic, scientific or economic events throughout France. She “Made it possible for France to start recognizing the place of youth and African energy”, he estimated.

“Our relationship with Africa must go through youth and civil society”, he added before the Africa-France summit was held on October 8 in Montpellier, a summit “A little upset” which will not bring together heads of state but representatives of African civil society. The Africa2020 season was proposed by Emmanuel Macron during his speech to African youth in Ouagadougou in 2017.

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The World with AFP

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