By RFIPalled on 26-09-2019Modified on 26-09-2019 at 17:46

Former French President Jacques Chirac died this morning at the age of 86. He was sometimes nicknamed Chirac the African, a nickname that sticks to the memory of the former president as he marked the relationship between Paris and the continent as evidenced by his reactions as African leaders.

On RFI, the first to have reacted to the death of Jacques Chirac on the continent is Denis Sassou-Nguesso. The President of Congo-Brazzaville in an exclusive interview recalls his sadness: " I am really upset by the news and I must also say that Jacques Chirac was a personal friend, a friend of the Congo and Africa. I will keep the memory of him from my state visit to Paris in full cohabitation Mitterrand-Chirac. And I could see on that occasion that he was a strong personality. "

I could see how he defended his opinions with firmness and authority.

Denis Sassou-Nguesso, President of Congo-Brazzaville

26-09-2019 - By Pierre Firtion

Another politician to speak, Henri Konan Bédié, President of the 1993 Ivory Coast in 1999: "It is with sadness that I learned the death of this great, great statesman. I remember that President Chirac saved my life after the conspiracy that led to the military coup in 1999. The first in Côte d'Ivoire, which is still developing its negative effects. Its negative and destabilizing effects on political life in Côte d'Ivoire. He dies a model of courage, lucidity, perseverance despite repeated failures. "

Another sadness in the DRC, that of André-Alain Atundu. He was one of the intelligence officials under Marshal Mobutu. Today, he is one of the spokespersons for the parliamentary majority, the pro-Kabila coalition. He remembers Jacques Chirac, the friend of Zaire: " I remember the memory of a friend of President Mobutu, a friend of the Republic of Zaire, a friend of Africa and, finally, a good living. Everyone knows the beautiful fork of Chirac, it is under these aspects that I knew him. When I sometimes attended meetings with the president, there was a lot of familiarity and friendliness. He was a man of communicative joy, he had the joy of living, he could communicate his passion for the Congo, for Zaire at the time. He did not hide his friendship for President Mobutu. I think he was a real friend who supported President Mobutu. He knew under what circumstances to give advice, he did not give advice through the internet like some today. "

    On the same subject

    France: abroad, Jacques Chirac "has marked the consciences"

    Jacques Chirac: death of a political giant close to the French

    France: reactions multiply following the death of Jacques Chirac

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