The former Prime Minister is the guest of 8.30 franceinfo of September 11, 2023, he answers questions from Salhia Brakhlia and Jérôme Chapuis
Former Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin was the guest of 8.30 franceinfo on September 11, 2023. Earthquake in Marrakech, relations with Morocco and anti-French sentiment in West Africa… He responded to Salhia Brakhlia and Jérôme Chapuis
Earthquake in Morocco: “considerable emotion”
Dominique de Villepin, born in Rabat, shares his “his deep emotion” after the earthquake which caused the death of at least 2,100 people, according to a still provisional assessment. “We must measure this very special relationship that exists between France and Morocco. It is not only two million Moroccans or dual nationals living in France, there are also 5,000 French people living there and four million tourists every year. It’s a considerable emotion”, he assures.
“It is important for France to put its flag in its pocket”
The relationships are “difficult” between Emmanuel Macron and the King of Morocco Mohammed VI, recognizes Dominique de Villepin, former Prime Minister. “We have never experienced such a lasting build-up of tension.” Morocco, hit hard by an earthquake in the Marrakech region, has officially authorized aid from Spain, Great Britain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, but not that from France. “We must be humble”explains the former diplomat. “It is important for France to put its flag in its pocket”he believes.
“For Africans, the very emblem of Françafrique is the military presence“
France fishes by “misrecognition” of Africa, analyzes Dominique de Villepin, while the French military presence is contested in several countries, most recently in Niger. “Many of the mistakes we have made in this region since 2013 are due to the inability to open our eyes and open our ears to realities that we poorly understand”judges the one who was Minister of Foreign Affairs between 2022 and 2004. “The military presence cannot be carried out in this traditional mode, that is to say the mode of interventions, the mode of bases, all of this is outdated,” explains the former head of government. “For Africans, the very emblem of Françafrique is the military presence,” he observes, which leads “to a rejection of France”.
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