African countries protest French President's statement

Algeria, Senegal and the Republic of Chad have recently issued statements of protest against French President Emmanuel Macron's remarks to the European country's diplomats on January 6 at the Elysee Palace.

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to his country's ambassadors at the Elysee Palace on January 6. (Source: ABACAPRESS)

On January 7, the Algerian Foreign Ministry issued a statement accusing France of interfering in the internal affairs of the North African country, after French President Macron said that Algiers “dishonored itself” by detaining French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal for violating national security.

In a statement, the ministry rejected President Macron's comments, saying they were inappropriate and wrong to describe Mr. Sansal's arrest as a matter of freedom of speech.

Just before that, according to Anadolu news agency, the Algerian Parliament also issued a statement protesting the French President's statement.

Mr Sansal - a writer critical of the Algerian government - was arrested at Algiers airport in November 2024 and detained, despite calls for his release from Paris.

The arrest comes amid heightened tensions between France and Algeria over a number of issues, including President Macron's support for Morocco's plan to make Western Sahara an autonomous region, while Algeria has backed the Polisario Front, a group that has fought for self-determination in Western Sahara for decades.

Also related to the French President's statements on January 6, the governments of Senegal and the Republic of Chad simultaneously criticized the head of the Elysee Palace after he said that African leaders "forgot to say thank you" for Paris' support in the fight against the insurgency of jihadist Islamists in the Sahel region.

Anadolu reported that Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko rejected Macron's statement and affirmed: "France has neither the capacity nor the legitimacy to guarantee the security and sovereignty of Africa."

Meanwhile, Chad 's Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah said in a statement broadcast on state television: "The Government of the Republic of Chad expresses deep concern over recent statements by French President Emmanuel Macron, which reflect contempt for Africa and Africans."

Chad has no problem with France, he stressed, but leaders in Paris need to learn to respect Africa.

Foreign Minister Koulamallah also mentioned the "key role" of Africa and Chad in liberating from France during the two world wars, something he said "Paris has never really recognised".

According to the head of the African country's diplomacy, France's contribution to Chad during its presence in the country "was often limited to Paris' own strategic interests without having a real lasting impact on the development of the local population".

Chad, which was once France’s last military base in the Sahel, terminated its defence and security agreements with Paris in late November 2024, calling them “outdated”. Around 1,000 French troops are currently being withdrawn from Chad.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/loat-nuoc-chau-phi-phan-doi-phat-ngon-cua-tong-thong-phap-300095.html