Dubai, UAE – French President Emmanuel Macron faced embarrassing moments during a joint press conference with the Congolese President Felix Kshisekedi who called for an end to “paternalistic gaze” with which developments in Africa are gauged by the West.
Tshisekedi said that what needs to change in Congo’s relations with France in particular but also with Europe and also the West in general is that “your way of seeing things when irregularities occur in Africa is different from how you see things when there are irregularities in American elections”.
“No one talks about American style of compromises when irregularities happen in America. Similarly, when there was a scandal about deceased voters being allowed to vote during Chirac’s years in France, no one talked about French style compromise,” said the President whose ascendancy to power in 2019 marked the first time since Congo gained independence in 1960 that an incumbent president peacefully transferred power to the opposition.
Tshisekedi was the presidential candidate of Congo’s oldest and largest political party, UDPS, in the December 2018 general election, which he was awarded, despite accusations of irregularities from several election monitoring organisations and other opposition parties.
“I think there needs to be respect and consideration between us. We have no intention of disregarding the opinions of our voters. The electoral process has already begun and we have raised the alarm that if there is a risk of derailment it is not because of the country’s authorities or senior officials,” Tshisekedi said.
Responding to Tshisekedi’s mention of France in his comments, Macron said that French and American journalists are used to posing uncomfortable questions to their leaders, and the question of a French journalist is not the official position of France.
But the Congolese President interrupted him. “But that is untrue. I do not agree with what you said. I am referring to (former French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs) Jean-Yves Le Drian, he is not a journalist,” Tshisekedi said.
Tensions went up during the press conference when Macron said, “Sorry to say it in such harsh terms, you have not been able to restore your sovereignty.
Congo has criticized France for its support to Rwanda which has been accused of supporting the Congolese rebel group M23 in the eastern part. Macron did not rule out imposing sanctions on Rwanda – as demanded by Tshisekedi – if diplomatic efforts do not work out.
During his four-day visit to four Central Africa countries – Gabon, Angola, the Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo, from Mar 1-4 – Macron said the era of French interference in Africa was over and military bases in the African countries would be co-run with host nations and commercial and other interests would be pursued with respect and humility.
Tshisekedi welcomed the new approach and said France needed to listen to what African people wanted if it hoped to compete with the continent’s other would-be partners.
“Francafrique is a thing of the past,” he said, referring to the alleged French approach of prioritizing commercial gain and supporting autocratic regimes in its former colonies.