Macron's Reaction To Burkina Faso Pullout Proves France Still Meddling In Africa - Lavrov

French President Emmanuel Macron's claim that Russia convinced Burkina Faso to end a military pact with its former colonial ruler proves that France does not shy away from meddling in home affairs of African countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday

MBABANE (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th January, 2023) French President Emmanuel Macron's claim that Russia convinced Burkina Faso to end a military pact with its former colonial ruler proves that France does not shy away from meddling in home affairs of African countries, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Tuesday.

"This is an issue of foreign policy principles: We do not interfere in internal affairs, while President Macron's statement makes no secret of the fact that France condones and resorts to such interference," Lavrov told reporters during his African trip.

Burkinabe media reported over the weekend that the western African nation had asked France to pull its troops from the country, prompting Macron to demand clarifications.

He also accused Russia of having a "predatory" influence on some African countries.

Lavrov told the press during a visit to the small southern African nation of Eswatini that French and EU officials had pressed him for answers about Russia's African ambitions on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Burkina Faso is the latest African nation after Mali to turn away from its ex-colonial master and seek closer ties with Moscow.