French President Emmanuel Macron is facing backlash after he interrupted a panel at the Africa Forward Summit in Kenya to demand silence from the audience.
Macron stormed the stage to rebuke audience members for what he called a “total lack of respect,” accusing them of disrupting speakers during a presentation by artists and young entrepreneurs. He had earlier described himself as a “Pan-Africanist” during a news conference.
The summit is meant to showcase France’s new policy for the continent — a shift from a former colonial power seen as dominating to what Paris describes as a partnership of equals. On Tuesday, Macron announced a $27 billion investment into various sectors in Africa, including energy, artificial intelligence and agriculture.
Videos of Macron’s heated intervention on Monday quickly spread across social media, drawing a mix of mockery, praise and criticism.
Appearing visibly frustrated by the noise in the room, Macron abruptly walked onto the stage and asked the speaker to hand him
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