But behind the scenes, he has vigorously applied President Emmanuel Macron’s policies in support of African economies hit hard by the effects of Covid-19.
At the G7 and G20 summits, he advocated that the debt of these countries be suspended in the short term and reduced in the medium term. As this would not be enough, he and Emmanuel Macron persuaded the other G20 members to authorise the IMF to create $650bn in Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) in a few months’ time, much of which will replenish the reserves of African states.