French President to Visit Cameroon, Benin and Guinea-Bissau

French president Emmanuel Macron talks with Cameroon's leader Paul Biya during the EU-Africa summit in Abidjan in 2017.

Africa News with AFP

French President Emmanuel Macron will tour sub-Saharan Africa from July 25 to 28, taking him to Cameroon, Benin and Guinea-Bissau, the Élysée Palace announced Thursday.

This trip to Africa, the first since Macron in April was reelected in April, will focus on the food crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, agricultural production issues and security issues, according to the presidency.

This is to "mark the continuity and constancy of the commitment of the President of the Republic in the process of renewing the relationship with the African continent," a statement by the French presidency read.

The first stage of this trip will be Cameroon, the largest economy in Central Africa. Emmanuel Macron will meet on Tuesday with his counterpart President Paul Biya, 89 years old, 40 of which have been at the head of the country.

Per the agenda, the leaders will discuss the possibilities of French investment in Cameroonian agriculture, according to the Elysee. Anti-jihadist issues in northern Cameroon will also be a hot topic.

On Wednesday, the French president will travel to Benin. The north of the country is facing an increase in deadly attacks, while the jihadist threat extends from the Sahel to the Gulf of Guinea countries.

On Thursday, Emmanuel Macron will end his tour in Guinea-Bissau, a small West African country. It will be Macron's first trip to a lusophone country on the African continent. Guinea-Bissau's President Umaro Sissoco Embalo is about to take over the leadership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).