President Macron Gets Push Back On Africa's 'Civilisational' Issues Comment

If you followed the 2017 G20 summit in Hamburg, the gathering of 20 major economies on the globe, you will have noticed that besides US President Donald Trump, another leader's comments have stirred up quite a bit of controversy. He might be seen as the one who averted the disaster of France falling to the far-right, but President Emmanuel Macron didn't leave his first big summit without criticism over his comment on how to develop Africa.

In response to a question by an Ivorian journalist at a press conference on July 8, Macron said, "The problems Africa faces are completely different and are civilisational ... "

He added, "If we want a serious answer to African issues and African problems, we must develop a series of politics that are much more sophisticated than a simple Marshall plan or money transfers, which we agree on with the World Bank."

The writer draws examples of problematic statements from the president, but also digs back into French colonial history and it's impact, citing forced abortions in Reunion Island.The article stresses also the important of asking the right questions when put before the powerful economies. The journalist's initial question was just how much the summit would put into saving Africa - something I had mistaken for sarcasm at first.

President Macron mentions that for any plan to work, it has to be developed according to African interests and African leaders, but we know the relationship between France and poor governance in Francophone Africa. It is public knowledge that coups and dictatorships have been bred and nurtured as long as the political, economic and colonial expansionist interests of France are take care of.

Even when he offered an apology for what he thought was directness as he ventured into explaining "real" African issues, this did not save the French president from scrutiny. I am more inclined to agree with the "civilisational" comment which, besides embodying French colonial doctrine, shows that the president isn’t that deep.