French President Emmanuel Macron is facing backlash after interrupting a panel at the Africa Forward Summit in Kenya to demand silence from the audience.
Macron stormed the stage and reprimanded the audience for what he called “absolute disrespect”, accusing them of disrupting speakers during presentations by young artists and entrepreneurs. He previously described himself as a “Pan-Africanist” during a press conference.
The summit is meant to showcase France’s new policy for the continent – a shift from the old colonial look of dominance to what Paris describes as a partnership of equals. On Tuesday, Macron announced US$27 billion in investments in various sectors in Africa, including energy, artificial intelligence and agriculture.
Videos of Macron’s harsh intervention on Monday quickly went viral on social media, drawing a mix of ridicule, praise and criticism.
Appearing confused by the noise in the room, Macron suddenly took the stage and asked the speaker to give him the microphone, saying he would “restore order”.
Addressing the audience in English, he criticized the attendees for talking over the speakers and causing disruption during the session.
