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Visit to Gabon interview given by M. Nicolas SARKOZY, President of the Republic, to the gabonese newspaper "l'union" - excerpts -

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Libreville, 27 July 2007

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Q. – These past few years, we've been seeing a diplomatic offensive by other world powers in the former French colonies: the United States, China and other emerging countries. Does this situation worry France? What does Paris intend doing to maintain its standing in what's been viewed as its private domain?

THE PRESIDENT – I don't consider that the former French colonies can be described as a private domain. It's an anachronistic concept which doesn't reflect reality nor is it what either France or the countries concerned want.

This concept even harks back to a paternalism I regret, which did a lot of harm to the relationship between France and Africa.

Why ever, 47 years after their independence, should these countries give up the opportunity to take advantage of the opportunities offered by other partners?

How can we regret the former French colonies opening up to new partners when France is opening up to all the African countries? That wouldn't be either right or fair, nor would it show respect to these countries.

In the globalization era, no country, however close it may be to Gabon, can claim a monopoly on her friendship. The world is changing, Gabon is changing. Our relations must change too. Change also involves diversification. In this respect, I welcome your country opening up to the world and its capacity to attract new partners and new investors. I'm thinking of the new arrivals who are offering real opportunities for capitalizing on your natural resources. You can't say you're friends with a country, that you desire its development and at the same time regret the investment of other players like China, Brazil and South Africa. Their presence is important and beneficial so long as they, too, stick to the goal of sustainable development.

If there's competition, it's up to the Africans to set fair, transparent rules and take advantage of them. My only concern is for these rules to be the same for everyone. If this is the case, I am convinced that French companies will be able to prove they're competitive. They too will be able to go on working in Gabon and contributing to the country's development.

Nor is France seeking to maintain a "standing". While special relations have to exist between countries and between peoples, this is certainly not because of any legacy, but rather because of shared, voluntary and reaffirmed support for common values, a common project.

France wishes to have as friends and allies the countries which see the values she promotes as their own and subscribe to her action. I think that countries like Gabon with which we share a history and enjoy mutual familiarity will find it easier than others to subscribe to and support France's action. (···)./.

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