French President Emmanuel Macron opened his African tour on Thursday with a stop in Mauritius, an Indian Ocean island nation where he received a warm welcome from Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam. The Mauritian leader described the visit as one of “great significance.”
Standing beside Macron, Ramgoolam noted that the global landscape is shifting in ways that disrupt the long-standing economic order.
“We risk finding ourselves in a system where ambitions formed elsewhere shake the world economy. For us, small island developing states, we are the first to feel the harsh effects of this instability,” he said.
Macron’s trip marks the first visit by a French president to Mauritius since 1993. Although he was initially expected in April, he postponed the trip following the passing of Pope Francis.
Environmental cooperation is at the heart of his visit, with Mauritius, home to 1.2 million people and known for having one of Africa’s most robust standards of living positioned as a key partner in ocean conservation.
During a press conference, Macron also expressed France’s backing for Madagascar, where the military took control in October after weeks of deadly youth-led protests. The transitional authorities have announced a plan to restore democracy and hold elections within two years.
“France will stand by this transition with openness, supporting the Malagasy people’s priorities, especially in the area of economic development,” Macron stated.
His regional tour will also include stops in South Africa for the G20 summit in Johannesburg, a visit to Gabon, and participation in the African Union-European Union summit in Angola.
