The relationship between France and Nigeria has little question, assumed a stronger dimension within the final one 12 months, a growth that sceptics attributed to the face-off between France and a few Francophone African nations. In this interview with BRIDGET CHIEDU ONOCHIE, French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, dismissed any political undertone. According to him, each nations merely share the identical pursuits and values. He additionally highlighted areas of mutual advantages in addition to his nation’s stance on the diplomatic and political conditions in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso.
What is your view in regards to the go to of Nigerian President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to France? Many have perceived it as an try and leverage the present face-off between France and a few Francophone African nations.
No have to say that the state go to was an vital cornerstone, nevertheless it began far prior to now. We began when Sani Abacha died. Then, we began to have a special have a look at Nigeria and felt that it was time for France to commit more and more to English-speaking nations in Africa. We couldn’t stand the standard suspects, and the transition to democracy was a outstanding window of alternative for engagement. But Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) began its operations right here round 2009 or 2010.
So, it’s true that Public Aid for Development grew to become the cornerstone, however we introduced one other extra refined and extra sovereign layer in 2014 when President Hollande and his counterpart talked about find out how to have interaction in opposition to jihadism significantly, Boko Haram. We established a powerful strategic partnership in these days and President Emmanuel Macron, whose six-month keep in Nigeria formed his imaginative and prescient of Africa fully, speaks about Nigeria very recurrently. So, he has a powerful focus in your nation, and this introduced further means to the assorted actors of the French group in Nigeria and helped to foster and scale up the bilateral relationship. So, there have been steps and this state go to has simply confirmed and served as a catalyst for issues which have been already on observe.
Is there any political angle or some type of alignment within the “renewed” relationship?
Obasanjo was the primary President to return to France for a state go to, it didn’t begin with Tinubu. Buhari got here 5 occasions throughout his interval for an official go to to France. So, it’s simply to inform you that the historical past of your leaders going to France or receiving French leaders like François Hollande in 2014 was not new. I don’t just like the phrase alignment. We will not be aligned with one another. We share pursuits and what I see and detect very a lot is that our two Presidents are generally involved about public items and customary challenges on the planet.
And they assume rightly – that the affect of France in Europe and the affect of Nigeria in Africa might be put collectively to attempt to arrange initiatives which shall be worthy. And you see the which means of that? When a rustic of the scale and energy of Nigeria strikes forward and takes a place near what France tries to do on the West facet, we deliver forces collectively. So, you might be proper to say that there’s a private issue however that counts. I can testify as a diplomat that heads of state will not be escaping that human regulation. It may be very primary so that you can really feel generally extra comfy with anyone. The two Presidents match very effectively however we can not sum up the connection between two nations like France and Nigeria to only a private relationship.
Yet, it brings further energy and impetus to what’s at present observe. We are on observe and being a French Ambassador in Nigeria in 2025 certainly makes me a fortunate man however my obsession is to not serve President Macron solely. It is to serve the connection between two states and two individuals. So, the people-to-people relationship is a key degree. The proven fact that extra college students go to France and are available again to say that France is an efficient nation is a plus for us. We are fortunate to have 15 settlements in Nigeria. Education, Alliance Francaise, Institute for French Research on Africa in Ibadan, the Institut Français right here, free colleges. Frankly, that is an asset.
Recently, Niger Republic accused Nigeria and France of instigating terrorist assaults on their soil and your nation didn’t try to reply. Does that imply consent?
There is a second when issues develop into so ridiculous that you need to chorus from responding. Let us be severe. France has sadly misplaced 58 troopers within the Sahel during the last decade. These troopers have been preventing terrorists. France has skilled the lack of 250 residents during the last 15 years on account of terrorist assaults in France. And I recall, in 2015, once we misplaced about 200 individuals in Bataclan. Remember the lorry which killed 80 individuals. France has paid a really large value to terrorism. Is there anyone severe round who can assume that France is nourishing a phenomenon which has been so little to France and French troopers? I inform you why that occurred. It is as a result of France has been seen, for the precise causes, as a pacesetter within the camp of those who combat terrorism.
We have been seen as a outstanding nation within the combat in opposition to terrorism for many years and that’s the reason we’re uncovered to those extreme threats and assaults. So, when anyone tries to insinuate that France can, in a means or one other help them, I’m tempted to assume that this isn’t solely scandalous however outrageous. It shouldn’t be acceptable for a French diplomat to acknowledge that. I don’t recognise that as one thing which is legitimate and acceptable.
But your silence over time appeared like consent?
Did you assume I accepted something in what they mentioned once I mentioned to you what I mentioned simply earlier than? No? I defined to you what occurred precisely. These are info and issues, they don’t seem to be speculations, insinuations or pretend information. That is the unhappy actuality.
France has been essentially the most uncovered Western nation to terrorism during the last a long time, and our troopers have fought very bravely, and so they paid the blood value for that on African soil. And I believe we should always recognise that in any case, now we have performed our half and we’ll do it once more if vital and if individuals name us for that.
As an Ambassador to the ECOWAS, the three nations that simply left ECOWAS alleged that France was dictating to ECOWAS and was overbearing?
The choice of the three states has been taken by the states. The three states and the three juntas have determined collectively to create a brand new physique -AES and so they determined that they’d stop ECOWAS. I don’t know the place France stands right here. We will not be right here. Absolutely not. It shouldn’t be our selection or something. It is the future of those three nations. They are free sovereign governments. I don’t know if they’re respectable however not less than, they exist.
They have taken this choice for the nice of their individuals. We will see if it really works. We will see if it’s a smart choice or not. It shouldn’t be my function to touch upon that, however France is nowhere right here as you may see. Three sovereign states resolve to depart an organisation like ECOWAS. Let us make a comparability with the UK. The UK determined sovereignly to depart the EU. France has no function in that and no person else. It is a choice from the UK. So, the one factor I want, and I believe we will anticipate from a severe authorities, is that the three governments of Mali, Burkina and Niger simply take accountability for his or her choice. They shall be accountable to their inhabitants for the end result of that call. That is all that I can say at this stage. Of course, we favour ECOWAS as you already know as a result of we expect African issues needs to be handled by African options. And ECOWAS is a producer of African responses to African challenges. That is why we help ECOWAS very a lot however supporting doesn’t imply that now we have any affect in it. We are simply sitting behind the leaders and we take heed to what they resolve. And we stand by you, after all, however we can not power historical past. Here, we’re in a history-making course of and it’s sadly not inside our arms.
Can you additionally reply to the allegation of perceived lack of affect in Francophone African nations and the place of Nigeria within the matter?
The relationship between Nigeria and France began far sooner than the early stage of our issues within the Sahel. And allow us to be clearer, once we take into consideration a lack of affect or presence of France in Africa, there are solely three nations the place France had points – the three Sahelian nations within the North. For the remaining, our presence has by no means been disputed or put into query, and I might say we even elevated our relationship with many of the African nations.
So, this concept that there can be a form of fallback place in Nigeria is completely meaningless. It means nothing to me. There could also be a form of coincidence between the main focus of President Macron on Nigeria and a sure attraction to France by President Tinubu, that could be a private issue which after all, performs a job however it isn’t the lengthy development of bilateral relationship. It began after the demise of Abacha. So, there are steps, and we’re in stepping method. I’m proud of that, however it isn’t the top of the story. I additionally assume that the connection between the 2 nations will go far past the 2 present Presidents as a result of there’s a shared curiosity, and now we have shared values.
You see how chaotic and unpredictable the world has develop into. The companions you thought have been your strongest allies can out of the blue shift and deal with you as downtrodden individuals. In that state of affairs, I very a lot reward the mutual attachment of France and Nigeria to strategic autonomy. What is strategic autonomy? It implies that you make your nationwide curiosity prevail in a fashion that doesn’t over-rely on one other companion. And once I see the best way your diplomacy is growing at present. I believe we’re very shut as a result of we see issues a bit in the identical method. We need to belief ourselves, in our strengths, and now we have to multiply alliances. I imply, have a look at your nation; you might be companions with BRICS, you might be companions with the West and you might be companions with Gulf nations. This is nice for Nigeria.
But then, Nigeria doesn’t rely or over-rely on one companion. France has made the identical kind of decisions and on the planet of 2025, I really feel safer as a French than if I have been abroad over-relying on a really, very, shaky transatlantic relationship.
Can you give perception into a few of the actions of your Embassy within the space of agriculture and meals safety?
You have three layers. The first and essentially the most pressing is the emergency motion we take within the North. Unfortunately, the inhabitants is confronted with extreme threats when it comes to meals safety and well being, that are related. That is the explanation we arrange a challenge by way of Nutriset Group. The subsidy is named Nutrik in Kano. They produce therapeutic meals for the advantage of younger moms and younger youngsters. Beyond that, now we have a humanitarian programme value about 13 million Euros a 12 months to supply emergency meals for the individuals who want it. The second layer is the coaching and training by way of AFD particularly. The third, which I believe would be the most promising and most large, is that we’ll make investments massively in meals corridors, wholesale markets, connection from producer to finish customers by way of storage capabilities, meat processing, and dairy course of, very a lot stemming from private-public partnerships. Thanks to a French firm known as Semmaris, which has launched a research for the advantage of AFD value 3 million Euros.
Coming to the implementation part, we’ll take into consideration three important areas, two within the south and one within the North – Kano and Kanuda The two can be related, whereas there shall be others with Lagos and Ibadan. This shall be an enormous push when it comes to agri-food manufacturing and the size of agri-business in Nigeria. And we’re very pleased with that. It would require funding and a variety of dedication.
But I’ve spoken to the Agricultural Minister and the Livestock Minister. Both of them are completely specializing in these future programmes. So, that’s emergency coaching and agri-business by way of new corridors. We will at all times assume that we don’t do sufficient however I might say it’s a promising begin.
Explain how your nation is investing massively in meals manufacturing in Nigeria?
You have heard about Fanmilk and Danone already. We have been searching for the identical method with large gamers like Danone. We are speaking to Flour Mills and BUA additionally. We are attempting to attach and bridge companies with large buyers. We look ahead to meals safety in Nigeria. That is the primary goal. We wish to assist your authorities to succeed in strategic autonomy within the area of meals and meals security. We will not be the only companion but when I current France to you, we’re a balancing companion. A balancing companion is a companion, who shouldn’t be a historic companion however has been right here for many years. It shouldn’t be a worldwide companion which might substitute for the authorities. It is a companion who, in a really real method, goals at serving to Nigeria in sure sectors to deliver frequent responses to shared challenges. That is strictly what we take note of, a balancing companion. We will not be too pretentious. We don’t wish to overplay our function however we expect now we have an actual edge in sure sectors, and agribusiness is one in every of them.