French President Emmanuel Macron has begun a five-day Africa tour in Mauritius with a push for what he calls "win-win" partnerships at a moment when France’s influence on the continent is slipping.
Macron landed in Port Louis on Thursday in a visit to a country that has become an economic success story in the Indian Ocean.
Mauritius sits just north of the French overseas territory of Réunion and has a per-capita GDP of more than €8,600, according to the World Bank.
From Mauritius, Macron will head to South Africa for the G20 summit at the weekend, then to Gabon for talks with the country’s new president Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema two years after the coup that ended the Bongo family’s long rule.
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Inflation worries
Home to just over 1.2 million people, Mauritius has changed sharply over the past three decades. Once reliant on sugar cane, it moved into tourism and financial services, though recent years have exposed some economic weaknesses.
Even so, the Elysée said the island is “a success story” in which French businesses have played a strong role.
A former French then British colony, Mauritius gained independence in 1968 and keeps a strong French-speaking tradition even though English is the official language. Around 15,000 French nationals now live there.
Macron’s visit, which includes a one-on-one meeting with Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam Thursday evening, aims to revive a relationship that has been politically cool for decades. No French president has visited since François Mitterrand in 1993.
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Regional friction
The timing is delicate as a recent coup in nearby Madagascar has reignited anti-French sentiment, especially after RFI reported that Paris helped exfiltrate former president Andry Rajoelina, an episode that angered many Malagasy people.
Macron also wants to reinforce France’s position in the south-west Indian Ocean as China, Russia and India show growing interest.
Maritime security is a key focus, with French and Mauritian authorities facing rising trafficking, including drug-running, illegal fishing and irregular migration.
On Friday, Macron and Ramgoolam will visit the French Navy vessel Champlain, which works closely with the Mauritian coastguard.
Ecology and the fight against plastic waste will also be discussed during a visit of the French ship "Plastic Odyssey" on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the French Development Agency is preparing to sign agreements aimed at strengthening the island’s electricity network – under strain from ever-more violent weather events – and modernising its water sector.
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Economic stakes
Throughout the tour, Macron is expected to promote what the Elysée calls “win-win partnerships” that aim to support African countries while also helping French businesses and citizens.
French firms see openings in Gabon as the government tries to diversify an economy still heavily tied to oil.
Mining is an area where Paris believes French expertise could help.
In South Africa, Macron will attend the launch of a new Franco–South African business council based on a model already used in Nigeria.
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A policy under strain
Macron’s trip also reflects the problems facing his wider Africa strategy first set out in his 2017 Ouagadougou speech. His attempt to shift away from France’s colonial legacy, often called Françafrique, has not always worked as intended.
His turn towards English-speaking countries has raised concerns in francophone Africa, while his decision to engage directly with young people and civil society rather than heads of state caused friction at the 2021 Africa-France summit in Montpellier.
These moves were sometimes seen as paternalistic and came during rising anti-French sentiment in the Sahel that forced French troops out of several countries.
France’s share of Africa’s trade has also kept falling.
(with newswires)
