French President, Emmanuel Macron has disclosed plans to visit Nigeria, describing the trip as an opportunity to deepen the strategic partnership between both countries.
The revelation was made on Tuesday night by Marc Fonbaustier, the French Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, during France’s National Day celebrations in Abuja.
“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.
“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,” he said.
According to Fonbaustier, the visit—coming two years after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to Paris—will allow both leaders to review the progress of their bilateral roadmap and set new targets for future collaboration.
Fonbaustier also emphasized the security partnership between Nigeria and France, stating that both nations are committed to fighting regional terrorism by supporting governments working to build up their security capabilities.
Backstory…
President Emmanuel Macron’s planned visit underscores the growing strategic relationship between Nigeria and France, which has expanded beyond traditional diplomatic ties to include cooperation on security, trade, energy, climate change and regional stability.
In recent years, both countries have strengthened collaboration in the fight against terrorism and piracy in West Africa, while France has also expressed interest in increasing investments in Nigeria’s energy, infrastructure, technology and creative sectors.
High-level engagements between Abuja and Paris have become more frequent as both governments seek to deepen economic and security cooperation.
Recall that in December, Tinubu visited Macron and had an exclusive meeting with him.
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