This Wednesday, the Elysée announced that the French president will travel to Guyana on Monday and Tuesday with the aim of encouraging the development of the local economy while respecting the environment and to discuss developments with elected officials. “institutional” of Overseas. Emmanuel Macron will then travel to Brazil for several days.
Emmanuel Macron will travel to Guyana on Monday and Tuesday to encourage the development of the local economy while respecting the environment and to discuss with elected officials on the “institutional” evolution of the Overseas Territories, the Elysée announced on Wednesday. This is the first presidential trip to an overseas department (DOM) since the start of Emmanuel Macron’s second five-year term in 2022, notes an advisor. The Head of State visited New Caledonia (overseas territory) in July 2023. He will then visit Brazil for several days, which shares a certain number of issues with French Guiana. the protection of the Amazon forest and the fight against illegal gold panning.
A stronger “anchor”
In Guyana, he will push for the development of local agricultural production, in order to reduce this territory’s dependence on food imports, and for a stronger “anchor” between the Kourou space center and local businesses. “We refuse to choose between protection of tropical forests and economic development,” insisted a presidential adviser, stressing that the two were not “incompatible”. Emmanuel Macron will visit the Cayenne fish market and a fruit and vegetable and livestock farm, as well as the assembly site of the European Ariane 6 launcher whose maiden flight is scheduled for this summer.
He will also go to the forest, to Camopi (south-east), to take stock of its development by the Amazonian Park of Guyana and will meet soldiers engaged in an operation to combat gold panning, in conjunction with the army. Brazilian. He will finally have “listening time” with elected officials, particularly on the “institutional development” of overseas departments. “The dialogue exists, this trip will be an opportunity to continue it,” notes the Elysée. Elected officials want a change in the status of Guyana, inspired by Corsica’s march towards autonomy. The president of the Territorial Collectivity of Guyana, Gabriel Serville, reserves “the right not to follow the presidential visit if we do not have positive signals by then” on this subject.