French President Nicolas Sarkozy called on Sunday in Addis Ababa African leaders to learn from the riots in Tunisia and Egypt to "forestall" the desire for change and renewed their populations, as patron of the G8 and G20 support the mainland.
For the first performance of a French head of state before a summit of African Union (AU), Mr.Sarkozy has taken advantage of events that stir Africa for weeks to deliver to the audience of heads of state and government of which he was the guest of honor councils "friend" of France for good governance and democracy.
Widely criticized in France for too long argued against the street ousted regime of former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the President reiterated that he stood "with friendship and respect along with the Tunisians and Egyptians" , which he praised the "yearning" to change.
As in the statement released Saturday evening with British Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, he also condemned "violence from whatever source, (which) is never the solution."
On the sixth day of revolt in Egypt, a report identifying Sunday more than 100 deaths and 2,000 wounded, mainly civilians, since the beginning of the contest.
But if he had requested by name Saturday to President Hosni Mubarak to make changes, Nicolas Sarkozy has used a cryptic tone Sunday to discuss the crisis in Egypt, drowned in a parable on democracy for all its African counterparts.
"France respects the sovereignty and the right of peoples to determine themselves (...) But there are values that are universal (...) all politicians must reckon with them, "he said while the AU has appointed to head the President of Equatorial Guinea Teodoro Obiang Nguema, who has led over thirty years his country with an iron fist.
"In today's world, we can not govern like that of yesterday. This change, or it is sudden, the door is open at one time or another, to violence. Or this change, it precedes, accompanies it and then it can be accomplished smoothly (...) The peaceful, France wishes, "he told the French president.
Regaining his cap pattern of G8 and G20, Nicolas Sarkozy has been renewing its support to Africa.And first to his old claim to get a permanent seat on the Security Council of the UN.
In response to the president of its General Assembly, the Swiss Joseph Deiss, who has raised the sea serpent UN, the President has challenged the UN to achieve reform in 2011. "Do it this year, do not wait," he told him the applause, "to acknowledge billion Africans in the place they deserve and France will support you!"
To wrest support from Africa to his struggle for control of money markets or raw materials, Mr.Sarkozy also called for the establishment of the much contested tax on financial transactions, according to him only possibility to keep the aid commitments to poor countries.
"France is ready to implement innovative financing, even if other countries do not follow it," he said.
African leaders warmly welcomed the French promises. Chairman of the AU Commission Jean Ping said he "is confident that the G20 allows Africa to play its full role" and the President of Malawi Bingu wa Mutharika hailed Nicolas Sarkozy a "true friend of Africa ".
