Era of “zones of influence” over, Vedrine says

In an interview with the French daily ‘La Croix’, published today, Vedrine said the joint visit with Cook symbolised the “modernisation” of France’s Africa policy.

It demonstrated French willingness to coordinate activities with European partners - for example joint action with Portugal in Guinea Bissau and with Germany in the Sahel countries. There were no longer any “exclusive zones of influence”, Vedrine said.

Africans should not fear that France and Britain were once again trying to “divide up” the continent between them. “It’s now a question of working together throughout the whole of Africa,” he said.