Emmanuel Macron

By Sabiu Abdullahi

French President Emmanuel Macron has postponed his planned state visit to Nigeria, which was scheduled for October 28 and 29, amid widespread protests and unrest in France.

A French presidential source confirmed the postponement to TheCable on Friday, citing the domestic situation in France.

The country has recently experienced demonstrations over the rising cost of living, public services and school conditions. Protests on October 17 reportedly escalated into violence in several cities, with buildings set ablaze and shops looted.

French authorities are also preparing for another wave of demonstrations scheduled for Saturday.

A Nigerian official familiar with the matter told TheCable that the situation in France was a factor in the decision to postpone the visit.

“A president will not travel when his home is contending with internal combustion,” the official said.

Nigeria and France maintain diplomatic relations with cooperation across several sectors, including trade, energy, security and investment.

In November 2024, Macron hosted President Bola Tinubu for a three-day state visit to France. Discussions during the visit covered finance, energy transition, solid minerals, trade and investment, and communications, among other areas.

Macron’s proposed visit to Nigeria was expected to build on agreements reached during Tinubu’s trip to France.

The French president, whose second and final term is due to end in May 2027, has maintained close relations with Tinubu since the Nigerian leader assumed office in 2023.

Tinubu has visited France at least nine times since becoming president, for official engagements, working vacations and private trips.

Macron last visited Nigeria in July 2018, when he met with former President Muhammadu Buhari and toured the New Afrika Shrine in Lagos.

A new date for the postponed visit was not stated in the report.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

French President Emmanuel Macron has reportedly convened an “emergency meeting” for European leaders to discuss United States President Donald Trump.

According to Fox News, citing Politico, Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski hinted at the planned meeting on Saturday during the Munich Security Conference.

The report states that two European Union officials confirmed to Politico that the meeting is scheduled to take place on Monday.

“I’m very glad that President Macron has called our leaders to Paris,” Sikorski was quoted as saying, adding that the discussions would focus on the implications of Trump’s actions “in a very serious fashion.”

Sikorski has been vocal about US politics in the past.

He previously compared President Joe Biden’s weak debate performance to the decline of ancient Rome.

He also acknowledged Trump’s stance on NATO spending, and agreed that member countries should increase their defense budgets.

The report indicated that Macron has maintained a cordial relationship with Trump since his reelection in November 2024.

The French leader had earlier expressed his willingness to work with Trump, writing on X:“Congratulations, President @realDonaldTrump. Ready to work together as we did for four years. With your convictions and mine. With respect and ambition. For more peace and prosperity.”

Macron also described it as “an honor” to host Trump in December when the US president visited Paris for the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral.

By Muhsin Ibrahim

French President Emmanuel Macron has strongly criticised U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to evacuate Gaza, calling it a humanitarian crisis rather than a political manoeuvre.

“You cannot come and tell two million people to leave. It is a humanitarian issue. Human beings. This is not a real estate issue; it is a political issue,” Macron said in an interview with CNN.

Macron added that, “We have to respect the willingness of the Palestinian people to have a state.”

The French leader’s remarks come amid ongoing international debates over the future of Gaza and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Many people described Trump’s proposal as ethnic cleansing and condemned it, while Israel’s far-right politicians welcomed it.