Emmanuel Macron has never hidden his love for football and Olympique de Marseille. This Tuesday, April 30, during a joint press conference with his Congolese counterpart, Félix Tshisekedi, visiting Paris, the Head of State paid tribute to “the many great Congolese athletes who play in France, starting with the captain of the Leopards (the national team of the Democratic Republic of Congo, editor’s note), Chancel Mbemba, to whom I wish the best for Thursday’s match with OM.
Marseille plays Thursday evening (9 p.m.) the semi-final first leg of the Europe League against the Italians Atalanta. With, in its ranks, defender Chancel Mbemba, 29 years old. Having passed through Anderlecht, Newcastle and Porto, the native of Kinshasa arrived on Canebière in July 2022 and is today part of the team coached by Jean-Louis Gasset.
In addition to his nod to OM, Emmanuel Macron urged Rwanda to “cease all support” to the Congolese rebels of the March 23 Movement (M23) in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and to “ withdraw its forces” from the country. “France will never compromise on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he declared.
The head of state spoke of a “commitment” from the Congolese president to “put an end to the actions of the [Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, FDLR]”, Rwandan Hutu rebels whose presence for thirty years in the east of the DRC is denounced by Rwanda.