Trending 
French President Emmanuel Macron will undertake a state visit to Nigeria this fall, two years after President Bola Tinubu’s State visit to Paris, the French ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Marc Fonbaustier, announced on Tuesday.
Fonbaustier made the announcement while delivering his address at the celebration of France’s National Day in Abuja, describing the trip as an opportunity for both countries to review their growing strategic partnership and chart a new course for future cooperation.
“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,” Fonbaustier said.
“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.”
Fonbaustier said the relationship between Nigeria and France was based on equality, noting that both countries regarded each other as partners on equal terms.
“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,” Fonbaustier said.
“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.”
He 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,” Fonbaustier said.
“He himself admits that this foundational experience inspired the broad outlines of his vision for the continent and his African diplomacy.”
