Invited by Umaro Sissoco Embalò to participate in an ECOWAS summit in Dakar, Emmanuel Macron was the source of a disagreement within the West African organization.
The 77th General Assembly of the United Nations on September 23 was an opportunity for West African leaders to launch an astonishing invitation: French President Emmanuel Macron was indeed invited by the current President of the Economic Community of West Africa (Cedea) to participate in a summit in Dakar, in a week to the day. But ultimately, this meeting will not take place. Largely because of disagreements over the presence of the French head of state.
Several West African presidents – without it being known for the moment which ones – would indeed have opposed the decision of Umaro Sissoco Embalò. The Bissau-Guinean hoped to see Macron in Dakar on October 14, but anti-France sentiment seems to have cooled several leaders, especially since ECOWAS is also increasingly tossed about, the populations of several countries criticizing this "union of presidents".
Anti-French sentiment… and anti-ECOWAS
The ECOWAS summit should in particular be an opportunity for heads of state to discuss the situation in Burkina Faso where, precisely, several French symbols were stormed by demonstrators. “The Embassy, the Consulate General and all French services remain closed until further notice, all the teams nevertheless remaining fully mobilized”, assures French diplomacy on the spot.
Despite the disagreements concerning the invitation of Emmanuel Macron, Embalò was able to count on the support of Alassane Ouattara, who returned hastily from France on October 5 to prepare for the summit, and of Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé. The French president hoped, after the putsch against Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba in Burkina Faso, to warn of the dangers of populations "misinformed and subjected to pro-Russian propaganda", in the words of Young Africa.
The ECOWAS Heads of State will therefore finally wait until December to meet. In Abuja, members of the institution will meet alongside outside personalities, including World Bank executive David Malpass. As for Emmanuel Macron, he has not yet been invited to this Nigerian summit.