Macron Postpones Visits To Nigeria, Senegal After Protests In France

French President Emmanuel Macron has postponed his planned visits to Nigeria and Senegal later this month following violent unrest that erupted alongside nationwide protests in France last weekend.

A French presidential source disclosed the development on Friday, October 23, but did not explicitly link the postponement to the riots that occurred on the sidelines of the demonstrations.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the visits were being deferred because they centred on a “diplomatic and cooperation agenda”.

The explanation appeared to distinguish the planned West African engagements from Macron’s visit to the Gulf region earlier in the week, which focused on securing energy supplies.

Although the presidential source did not directly attribute the decision to the unrest, the postponement comes against the backdrop of protests and violence that have drawn attention to the security situation in France.

Macron’s planned trips to Nigeria and Senegal were expected to provide opportunities for diplomatic engagement and discussions on cooperation between France and the two West African countries.

However, the postponement means the engagements will have to wait, with no new dates announced in the report.

The development also leaves uncertainty over when Macron will undertake the planned visits, as the French presidency has yet to provide further details on the revised schedule.

The postponement was reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP), citing the French presidential source.