Video of Benin's foreign minister using his hand to dust off his shoulder after being touched by French President Emmanuel Macron went viral on social media on Saturday.
In the video, Macron, paying an official visit to Benin on July 27 as part of an African tour, is seen calling Aurelien Agbenonci to his side as he speaks with Patrice Talon, Benin’s president.
Footage shows Macron approaching Agbenonci, touching his shoulder, and then saying something to him. Agbenonci then dusts off the spot where Macron touched him.
📹| #Benin's Minister of Foreign Affairs Aurelien A. Agbenonci cleaned the shoulder touched by #French President Emmanuel Macron with his hand.pic.twitter.com/nddatkOt5U
— EHA News (@eha_news) July 30, 2022
After the footage went viral, Agbenonci made a statement on Twitter saying that he made the motion as Macron noticed dust on his coat.
Macron visited Cameroon, Benin, and Guinea-Bissau on July 25-28 as part of his Africa tour.
Macron's visit was aimed at reviving France's relations with the continent, the Elysee Palace said in a statement.
During Macron's visit, Africans raised the issue of France's colonial atrocities on the continent and urged France to accept responsibility.
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