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| François Hollande praises Senegal in first Africa visit | François Hollande praises Senegal in first Africa visit |
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| The French president, François Hollande, praised Senegal's contribution to French history as he began his first trip to Africa. | The French president, François Hollande, praised Senegal's contribution to French history as he began his first trip to Africa. |
| Hollande's diplomatic remarks, which were made during a visit to the neo-classical presidential palace in Dakar, were a dramatic contrast to those of his predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, who travelled to the west African country five years ago and said the African man had "not yet entered history". | Hollande's diplomatic remarks, which were made during a visit to the neo-classical presidential palace in Dakar, were a dramatic contrast to those of his predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, who travelled to the west African country five years ago and said the African man had "not yet entered history". |
| Hollande, 58, who defeated Sarkozy in the presidential election in May, vowed on the eve of his departure "to write a new page in France's relations with Africa". | Hollande, 58, who defeated Sarkozy in the presidential election in May, vowed on the eve of his departure "to write a new page in France's relations with Africa". |
| Unlike Sarkozy, who chided Africans for their lack of development, Hollande provided examples of Senegal's contributions to French history, including the fact that Léopold Sédar Senghor, Senegal's first post-independence president, was a member of the committee that helped write the text of the French constitution. | Unlike Sarkozy, who chided Africans for their lack of development, Hollande provided examples of Senegal's contributions to French history, including the fact that Léopold Sédar Senghor, Senegal's first post-independence president, was a member of the committee that helped write the text of the French constitution. |
| "Between France and Senegal there's a history. There's a language that we both speak. There's a culture that we share and to which both of our peoples have contributed. But beyond our history, beyond our language, beyond the links that have united us for so long, what unites us today is the future," said Hollande. "I want to express my confidence not only in the future of Senegal but also in the future of Africa." | "Between France and Senegal there's a history. There's a language that we both speak. There's a culture that we share and to which both of our peoples have contributed. But beyond our history, beyond our language, beyond the links that have united us for so long, what unites us today is the future," said Hollande. "I want to express my confidence not only in the future of Senegal but also in the future of Africa." |
| Analysts say he chose Senegal for his first visit to the continent because of its democratic credentials and because Senegal is expected to play a central role in a planned military intervention in neighbouring Mali to flush out Islamic extremists in the north. | Analysts say he chose Senegal for his first visit to the continent because of its democratic credentials and because Senegal is expected to play a central role in a planned military intervention in neighbouring Mali to flush out Islamic extremists in the north. |
| For the Senegalese, though, the memory of Sarkozy's 2007 speech is still fresh. "Sarkozy came with contempt. Hollande is coming to clean up," says Yero Dia, a political analyst who is a frequent commentator on TV debate shows in Senegal. "But for me it's not about Sarkozy, nor about Hollande. It's about us, Africans. It's like the horse and the rider. Whether it's Mitterand, or Chirac, or Sarkozy or Hollande, what remains constant is the system ... and nothing will change until Africans stop behaving like the horse and letting France be their rider." | For the Senegalese, though, the memory of Sarkozy's 2007 speech is still fresh. "Sarkozy came with contempt. Hollande is coming to clean up," says Yero Dia, a political analyst who is a frequent commentator on TV debate shows in Senegal. "But for me it's not about Sarkozy, nor about Hollande. It's about us, Africans. It's like the horse and the rider. Whether it's Mitterand, or Chirac, or Sarkozy or Hollande, what remains constant is the system ... and nothing will change until Africans stop behaving like the horse and letting France be their rider." |
| Senegal won its independence from France 52 years ago, but there is a French army base in Dakar, the capital. | Senegal won its independence from France 52 years ago, but there is a French army base in Dakar, the capital. |
| France is also Senegal's main economic partner, said the Senegalese president, Macky Sall.An area in northern Mali is under the de facto control of three Islamic rebel groups, all of which have ties to al-Qaida. Hollande has been one of the most vocal proponents of a military operationthere, and he reiterated his position in Dakar. | France is also Senegal's main economic partner, said the Senegalese president, Macky Sall.An area in northern Mali is under the de facto control of three Islamic rebel groups, all of which have ties to al-Qaida. Hollande has been one of the most vocal proponents of a military operationthere, and he reiterated his position in Dakar. |
| "What is happening in the Sahel for the past several months is that terrorists have structured themselves, have installed themselves. It's not simply a menace for west Africa," said Hollande. | "What is happening in the Sahel for the past several months is that terrorists have structured themselves, have installed themselves. It's not simply a menace for west Africa," said Hollande. |
| "It's not just an aggression against the sovereign country of Mali. It's a major issue for the security of the entire continent – and Europe," he said, explaining why he has pushed for a United Nations resolution to legalise a military intervention led by the nations neighbouring Mali and supported by France and the United States. | "It's not just an aggression against the sovereign country of Mali. It's a major issue for the security of the entire continent – and Europe," he said, explaining why he has pushed for a United Nations resolution to legalise a military intervention led by the nations neighbouring Mali and supported by France and the United States. |
| Hollande was in Dakar for the whole of Friday, where he met President Macky Sall, as well as delivering a speech at the National Assembly. He will also visit Goree Island, off the coast of the capital, where slaves embarked for America. This visit to the slave museum is a symbolic gesture, underscoring Hollande's understanding of the difficult history that Africans have endured. | Hollande was in Dakar for the whole of Friday, where he met President Macky Sall, as well as delivering a speech at the National Assembly. He will also visit Goree Island, off the coast of the capital, where slaves embarked for America. This visit to the slave museum is a symbolic gesture, underscoring Hollande's understanding of the difficult history that Africans have endured. |
| He was to leave on Friday night for Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, where he will attend a summit of French-speaking leaders. | He was to leave on Friday night for Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, where he will attend a summit of French-speaking leaders. |
| On newsstands throughout Dakar, Senegal's lively independent press reminded Hollande of his predecessor's gaffe. "Be Frank with Us Hollande!" read the headline in Le Quotidien, a play on words because the term "franc" in French, meaning "frank", sounds like the president's first name, François. Walfadjiri, another newspaper, called for "A new page". | On newsstands throughout Dakar, Senegal's lively independent press reminded Hollande of his predecessor's gaffe. "Be Frank with Us Hollande!" read the headline in Le Quotidien, a play on words because the term "franc" in French, meaning "frank", sounds like the president's first name, François. Walfadjiri, another newspaper, called for "A new page". |
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