Macron pledges stronger French support
French President Emmanuel Macron has promised to deepen France’s support for Nigeria as the country confronts terrorism and other security threats, following a discussion with President Bola Tinubu.
In a tweet on Sunday, Macron said he had expressed France’s solidarity with Nigeria over its “various security challenges, particularly the terrorist threat in the north”.
He added that, at Tinubu’s request, France would bolster its partnership with Nigerian authorities and scale up assistance to communities affected by violence.
“I spoke with President Tinubu of Nigeria, @officialABAT. I conveyed France’s solidarity in the face of the various security challenges, particularly the terrorist threat in the North,” Macron wrote.
“At his request, we will strengthen our partnership with the authorities and our support for the affected populations. We call on all our partners to step up their engagement. No one can remain a spectator.”
Macron also urged other international partners to increase their involvement, warning that the threat posed by violent extremist groups demands collective action.
The French president is the first world leader to openly comment on Nigeria’s worsening security situation weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump redesignated Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over alleged persecution of Christians.
France and Nigeria have steadily expanded their military cooperation, particularly in training, technology transfer and joint maritime security operations, as both countries seek to counter evolving regional threats.
