Luanda: French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday pursued his African tour aimed at renewing frayed ties, inking an economic accord with Angola.
In the Angolan capital Luanda, Macron held talks with his counterpart Joao Lourenco, singling the oil-rich country as the “strategic partner in the region”.
Macron, who had earlier chaired an economic forum attended by more than 50 French companies, told a joint conference with Lourenco that at the “heart of this visit is the strengthening of agricultural partnerships” with Angola.
France, he said, is seeking to “build a balanced and reciprocal partnership” with Angola.
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“This fits in with the idea I have of this economic partnership between the African continent and France,” Macron told around 100 delegates earlier.
“Mindsets have changed,” he said, adding France wanted to find solutions that benefited both parties, rather than “impose ready-made” ones.
France has for decades been involved in the petroleum industry in the Portuguese-speaking southern African country, which is one of the continent’s top crude oil producers.
Macron’s visit offered an opportunity to explore cooperation in other sectors.
The two governments penned an agreement to boost Angola’s agricultural sector, particularly “climate resilience and water security”, in addition to helping revamp coffee, soya, cotton and dairy production, among other sectors.
The goal should be to develop a “made-in-Africa strategy”, he said.
Macron’s visit comes as part of a drive to enhance French ties with anglophone and Portuguese-speaking Africa.
