France President, Macron cancels trip to Mali

French President, Emmanuel Macron, has cancelled his trip to Mali over the growing spread of the new variant of the COVID-19, Omicron.

Macron was expected to visit French troops who are currently on a peace-keeping operation in the West Africa nation from December 20 to 21.

The President’s office announced this in a statement on Saturday.

The statement read: “This decision was taken in order for there to be coherence between national measures and the president’s international agenda, and in order not to expose troops.”

With France in the grip of its fifth COVID-19 wave, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced a new push on Friday to get people vaccinated and said people would have to show proof of vaccination to enter some venues in the country.

Castex also said France would from next month reduce the time between second and third COVID-19 vaccination injections to four months.

READ ALSO: Why France is building diverse cooperation with Nigeria – Macron

The gap between shots is currently five months but the French government was concerned about the spread of the Omicron.

The prime minister said big public parties and fireworks would be banned on New Year’s Eve and recommended people – even if vaccinated – to test themselves before attending year-end parties.

Castex also cancelled a planned trip to French troops in Jordan slated to come up from December 31 to January 1, 2022.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now