French President, Emmanuel Macron, will undertake a state visit to Nigeria later this year as both countries move to deepen cooperation in trade, security, agriculture and democratic governance.
The French Ambassador to Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Marc Fonbaustier, announced the planned visit during the celebration of France’s National Day in Abuja on Tuesday night.
Fonbaustier said Macron’s visit would come two years after President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to Paris and provide an opportunity for both leaders to assess the progress recorded under the existing bilateral cooperation framework.
The ambassador, who described the announcement as a “scoop”, did not provide a specific date, but said the French President would travel to Nigeria in the autumn. Fonbaustier said the relationship between Nigeria and France was founded on equality and mutual respect rather than interference or imposition.
Speaking on the values of liberty, equality and fraternity associated with the birth of the French Republic, the envoy said the principle of equality had practical implications for relations between both countries. According to him, the principle of equality among countries remained a cornerstone of the United Nations Charter, which Nigeria and France continued to defend.
The envoy said the relationship between both countries extended beyond government-to-government engagements and included civil society, private sector and cultural cooperation.
