MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th October, 2020) French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian is due to return on Tuesday from the Republic of Congo, where he arrived the previous day to meet with its government officials to discuss upcoming elections and a peace agreement in the Central African Republic, the French Foreign Ministry reported.
According to the ministry, Le Drian's agenda includes meeting with Congolese President Denis Sassou N'Guesso and several high-ranking political figures in the region on the international symposium within the wake of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the "Brazzaville Manifesto" published on October 27, 1940.
"These meetings will notably provide an opportunity to discuss international support for the holding of elections and the implementation of the peace agreement in the Central African Republic," the foreign office said in a statement.
The car has been suffering from inter-communal violence for years, primarily between the Muslim Seleka community and the Christian-led Anti-Balaka group. In 2019, the country's authorities and 14 recognized rebel groups signed a peace treaty, which, however, has not stopped the fighting. General elections to appoint the president and National Assembly are scheduled for late December.
France is Congo's second-largest supplier after China and its leading foreign investor. For its turn, Congo has the fourth biggest market share of French goods among the French-speaking African countries.
