French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his concern over the expansion of diplomatic and military relations between Russia and several African countries, coinciding with a tour by French Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to several African countries lasting 5 days.

Macron said in a joint press conference with Cameroonian President Paul Biya yesterday, Tuesday, July 26, 2022, "I will not call it cooperation; it is more like collusion with weak political authorities or illegitimate military councils."

According to the French president, Russia is "a major political and military power" with economic and military relations with many African countries.

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Cameroon, starting a tour in the West Africa region covering three countries, as part of his efforts to revive France's relationship with the Black Continent in the post-colonial era.

Macron had upset the Cameroonian president in 2020 after announcing that he would exert "maximum pressure" on him due to the "unbearable" violence in this West African country.

Macron's visit comes at a time when France's influence, the former colonial power, is declining in Africa in the face of China, India, and Germany, especially in the economic and trade sectors.