The African Union congratulated French President Emmanuel Macron on his “brilliant” re-election after his victory Sunday over far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, calling for continued establishment of “renewed and mutually beneficial relations” between France and Africa.
“I extend my warm congratulations to President Emmanuel Macron on his brilliant re-election,” AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat wrote on Twitter. “I am happy to continue with him our commitment to build between Africa and France, and more broadly Europe, renewed and mutually beneficial relations,” he added.
For his part, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno, very involved in the fight against jihadism in the Sahel, also congratulated Emmanuel Macron for his “brilliant” re-election that “crystallizes a crowning achievement of his internal political action and his international commitment.
The outgoing president was re-elected to the presidency of France with more than 58.5% of the vote, against 41.4% for Marine Le Pen, who recorded a historic score passing for the first time the 40% mark.
During his first term, Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to dust off the relationship between France, a former colonial power, and the continent, addressing particularly the youth, especially during the speech of Ouagadougou in November 2017 where he had promised a break in French policy in Africa.