Paris supports increasing African presence in int'l institutions, UN, World Bank: French president

By Nur Asena Erturk

France supports increasing African presence in international institutions including the UN and World Bank, the French president said on Thursday.

Emmanuel Macron hosted his Nigerian counterpart Bola Tinubu in Paris, the first visit by a Nigerian president to France in over 20 years.

“Your will to be a key actor of global governance is necessary for us all, whether in international humanitarian law, climate change, global health, or protecting the oceans,” Macron told Binubu in a joint news conference, referring to Nigeria’s business objectives in France.

The French president said Paris would do “all that is possible to encourage a better inclusion of Nigeria in global governance platforms.”

“We are in favor of an increased presence of the great leaders, great countries of Africa, whether in the UN Security Council, the governance of the World Bank, or the International Monetary Fund, and you have your place in these institutions,” Macron said.

The French president also hailed Nigeria’s “will to be a structuring security and defense actor in the entire ECOWAS region,” which “is a decisive ambition that France wants to join.” The Nigerian leader is also chairman of the 15-member ECOWAS regional cooperation organization in West Africa.

Tinubu, for his part, thanked France for the “promises" and said Nigeria is “open for business” with a free market economy.