Antananarivo, Madagascar – French president Emmanuel Macron A two -day visit began to Madagascar Indian Ocean Island On Wednesday and talked about the need for your country to find new markets and boost economic cooperation in the region.
Macron’s visit marked the first for a French leader to the former colony off the east coast of Africa from Jacques Chirac’s in 2005.
The trip also deepened disputes between the nations derived from the colonial era, including Madagascar’s statements about a group of small islands that are French territory, and its demands for France to return the remains of a local king who was killed by French colonial forces at the end of 1800.
Macron met with President of Madagascar Andry Rajoelina In the capital, Antananarivo, and signed several agreements and memorandums of understanding, even in energy, agriculture and education.
Macron also announced funds from the French development agency and a loan of the French Treasury for the construction of a hydroelectric dam in East Madagascar, which has been planned for almost a decade.
Macron will attend a summit of the Indian Ocean commission in Madagascar, a block composed of Madagascar, Mauricio, Comoros, Seychelles and meeting, which is a territory of France. China, India and the European Union are among a group of countries and international organizations that have observer status in the commission.
“We need to conquer at least the market of the Indian Ocean),” Macron said Wednesday. “And then, more widely, East Africa and the Indian Ocean.”
In some of his disagreements, Rajoelina said there would be a new round of meetings on June 30 about the destiny of the dispersed islands, five small islands around Madagascar that fall under the territories of France abroad, but are claimed by Madagascar.
France favors a system where the islands would be administered jointly by the two countries, but the decision of the United Kingdom last year to Deliver control of the Chagos Islands In the Indian Ocean to Mauricio, he has stimulated some in Madagascar to boost the total control of the dispersed islands, which are known as the Ecarse Islands in France.
Madagascar and France “are determined to find a solution together,” Rajoelina said.
Macron said he would work with Madagascar for the agreed return of three skulls that were taken from Madagascar more than 125 years ago and were exhibited in a Museum in Paris. It is believed that one of them is the skull of King Toera of the Sakalava people, who was beheaded by the French troops in 1897.
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