French President Emmanuel Macron's African tour took an unexpected turn as what was supposed to be a crucial diplomatic test quickly transformed into a potential crisis.
The incident occurred during a meeting with university students at the University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, where Macron's encounter with President Roch Marc Christian Kabore took an embarrassing turn.
The situation unfolded reminiscent of a scene from the famous French classic, Le Diner des Cons, as tensions flared and misunderstandings arose. President Kabore, it seems, did not take kindly to the French humor that ensued.
From the outset, the reception of the meeting was less than welcoming, as some Burkinabés expressed their displeasure by throwing stones and even a grenade at the French delegation and army motorcade.
The intended purpose of the speech was to establish a new relationship with Africa, but it soon turned into a nightmarish miscommunication for the French leader.
During the question and answer session with the students, a query was raised about electricity cuts at the university. In response, Macron attempted to maintain his signature pedagogical tone, which often oscillates between humor and apparent irritation.
However, the approach seemed to have backfired as it led to what some perceived as a moment of humiliation for President Kabore. Macron's attempts at humor and quasi-irritation might not have resonated well with the Burkinabé leader, causing tension and awkwardness during the encounter.
“You are talking to me like [France] is still a colonial power,” the French president said.
“But I do not want to deal with electricity in universities in Burkina Faso!” he added, smiling.
Encouraged by a mix of laughter, applause, and whistling in the audience, the French leader carried on. “This is the job of the president [of Burkina Faso!” he said, pointing at Kabore, who was listening to Macron's speech a few steps away.
At this point, Kabore suddenly stood up and left the stage, which prompted further comments from the French president. “He's leaving... Stay there! So, he went to repair the air conditioning,” Macron shouted after the African state leader.
Perhaps not so surprisingly, the video posted on Macron's Twitter account has been edited to exclude his comments addressed to Kabore.
Claiming to be part of “a generation that does not come to tell Africa what to do” and emphasizing that “there is no more African policy of France,” Macron tried to get rid of the sometimes paternalistic image painted of France in Africa. But judging by the reactions on social media, Macron might be off the mark this time.
For many, the peculiar behavior of the French president and his “humorous intervention” was more of a “small diplomatic incident.
Following these incidents, a significant number of people in Burkina Faso took to the streets to express their discontent, labeling the president as a mere puppet.
However, on January 24, 2022, a peaceful coup d'état took place in the country resulting in the deposition and detention of President Kaboré by the military.
