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It was a far-reaching trip where he announced a series of cultural events dedicated to Africa in 2020, formally met the president, launched a France-Nigeria investment club and invited the young people not to take "crazy risks". "to reach Europe."
But it was clear that the migrant crisis was at the top of his agenda.
President Macron said it was important that Europe help Africa to cope with the crisis, which has reached critical levels as European countries question the opportunity to allow rescue vessels to dock in their ports. [19659002] Macron said it was a "winning, winning game" for everyone if Africa succeeded.
![The 11-year-old Nigerian artist who displaced President Macron [19659006] The 11-year-old Nigerian artist who moved Macron](https://cdn.cnn.com/cnnnext/dam/badets/180704104602-kareem-waris-olamilekan-large-169.jpg)
"The loser's game is having extremists in Europe playing on fears and sometimes on racism and saying that Africans are losers they want to invade us. It is to tell Africans that it is impossible to succeed in my country, that I have to reach Europe, taking the wildest risks …
"I believe in a Winning, winning, helping Africa succeed, let's give new hope to African youth in Africa, "said President Macron.
During the trip, Macron was keen to point out that it's coming from a generation "that does not tell Africa what it should do," but what about it? wants Africans to build the continent that they want to see for themselves.
He called it a "new narrative" where Africa is the only one to decide for Africa, to explain Africa and to create its own model of Africa. entrepreneurship, its own culture and explain it to the rest of the world. [19659002] Macron also alluded to the country's colonial past, though he said that relations between Africa and France are now "framed by post-colonial relations."
"I think we have a very complicated history with Africa. ] "My generation has never known colonialism, I mean it's part of our history of course … you have to recognize all the past acts and deal with them, but you have to go from the front ", said Macron at an event organized by TRACE media in his honor
. the first time that Macron visited Nigeria – he spent six months in the country as an intern at the French embbady in 2002.
He arrived in Lagos on Tuesday night, freshly after a press conference with the President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja. direction the New Afrika Shrine, a very unusual choice of venue for a world leader.
It appeared that Macron had visited the Shrine, a night club founded by the legendary Afrobeats musician, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, during his internship in Nigeria. in the 1990s. The Sanctuary is now run by the children of Fela, Femi and Yeni Kuti.
No other world ruler has ever visited the shrine nor even any Nigerian president.
The Sanctuary is the kind of place where Nigerian parents warn their kids, a nightclub that is synonymous with marijuana smoke, bady dance by backup dancers and the pulsating sounds of music Afrobeat popularized by Fela Kuti.
One can only imagine the moans of the security team the Elysee in Paris when the choice of place was announced.
The club is located in an area of Lagos that most overseas visitors cross hastily.
Some foreign diplomats and ambbadadors are not even allowed by their countries to visit the mainland of Lagos unless traveling to the city's only airport.
But Macron seemed to want to revisit the dens of his internship days and a night of culture celebrating the best of what Nigeria has to offer was presented for his benefit.
He told the crowd that the place was an "iconic place", but he avoided the question when he was pressed by his memories, saying "whatever happens in the Sanctuary, stay in the Sanctuary ".
He added that he discovered real Africa during the months that he spent in the country in his twenties.
"That is why I probably have a different view of Africa than a lot of other people in Europe because I have been educated here," Macron said. .
Dressed in a casual white shirt, with her rolled up sleeves, Macron was on an apparent charm offensive, posing kindly for the obligatory selfies and joining some of Nollywood's stars in a skit on stage about their industry .
He arrived two hours late in front of a gigantic crowd, waiting impatiently to see him.
Macron also announced that the French government was launching an African cultural season in France in 2020.
"We decided to organize in France for 2020, a series of events on African culture but the novelty is that it will be for Africa, for African artists, for African artists, and for African leaders, business communities in France and Africans, "Macron said at
He added that the bill for the event would be funded by African companies and "will not be sponsored by European or French companies."
"That's all nine, "said the French president. [ad_2]
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