Hollande reaffirms support for Africa, as Conde visit France

French President Francois Hollande welcomed Guinea’s President and head of the African Union Alpha Conde to the Elysee presidential palace on Tuesday.

The trip makes it Hollande’s final official visit before the first round of an April-May general election.

“France supports Africa because it thinks this continent has great potential but also difficulties that need to be resolved and that what is happening in Africa has consequences in Europe: immigration, terrorism, instability. So our common interest, France, Europe, Africa, is to act for development, peace and security,“Hollande said.

Hollande added that it was so important that the president of the African Union visit France.

Adding that It is the last official visit he will organise and wanted it to be for Alpha Conde, of Guinea and for the African Union.

“But above all, that African problems be resolved by Africans from now on and I think the is the opinion of President Hollande, I hope it will continue to be the opinion of French leaders because today we are determined, we want to cooperate with other countries but as major countries which means state-to-state cooperation with reciprocal interests and win-win operations,” Conde said.

The head of the African Union noted that they have to accept that Africa defines its path for development and its path for democracy.

He reiterated that there are universal principles for democracy adding that Africa need to stop thinking of Africa as one state.

Both presidents held a news conference at the end of their meeting where and reaffirmed their mutual support,
and put forth Guinea’s future projects in development, renewable energies and health infrastructure, the later being a priority after a December 2013 Ebola outbreak.