Macron returns to French Guiana for thorny talks on autonomy and illegal mining

France's President Emmanuel Macron arrived in the overseas department of French Guiana on Monday for a two-day visit, to discuss poverty, crime and greater autonomy – a prickly topic between Cayenne and Paris. The trip will be followed by a visit to neighbouring Brazil, where Macron will address the issue of illegal mining in the border regions.

In his first visit to the South American territory in October 2017, just months after his election, Macron was met with protesters, angry over the lack of investment in the impoverished region.

Macron was under pressure to honour the outgoing government's promises of a billion-euro emergency package. 

He also promised at the time to strengthen the local police force to tackle a murder rate 10 times as high as that of mainland France, as well as tackling undocumented immigration and illegal gold mining.

However, he did not make a positive impression on the locals, who remember his response when they asked about building a new hospital: "I'm not Santa Claus."

This anger translated into electoral revenge as 60 percent of Guianans voted for far-right leader Marine Le Pen in the presidential election of 2022. 

Poverty, unemployment, crime

In 2023, Guiana is still struggling to tackle poverty, high unemployment, poor education and health facilities and neglected infrastructure.

It was also a record year for violent crime, with public prosecutors reporting 59 homicides and 250 attempted murders, or 20.6 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants – compared to the national average of 1.5 per 100,000.

Michel-Ange Jérémie, president of the Association of Mayors of Guiana, says the region needs a global approach that takes into account education and training.

"The number of law enforcement officers is substantial, but insecurity continues to grow," he said, quoted by the French press agency AFP.

Half of the 300,000-strong population is under 25 years old, due in part to a high fertility rate and high numbers of people leaving the country.

According to a 2021 study by French statistics office Insee, 37 percent of people between the ages of 21 and 29 leave Guiana to study or work abroad.

Meanwhile, one in three young people aged 15 to 29 is neither in work or education, particularly in isolated areas not connected to the limited road network.

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Illegal gold mining

Macron will be accompanied by Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin and Overseas France Minister Marie Guévenoux.

They will attend a service commemorating French special forces major Arnaud Blanc, who died one year ago during an operation against illegal gold mining in Maripasoula, a region in the south of Guiana bordering Brazil.

According to local media, Macron will also travel to the eastern town of Camopi, a hotspot of illegal gold panning. Back in the capital Cayenne, he will observe a masterclass at the Paris Opera's local academy.

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On Monday evening, Macron will attend a dinner with a collective of mayors, parliamentarians and the president of the Territorial Collectivity of Guyana.

The exchange will be an opportunity to discuss the evolution of the status of Guiana within France, inspired by Corsica's quest for autonomy.

The next day, Macron will visit the Guiana Space Centre, created 60 years ago in March 1964. He'll also have a peek at the Ariane 6 launcher assembly building, where the rocket is being prepared for a launch in June or July.

Joint operations with Brazil

On Wednesday, Macron is expected in Brasilia, where he will stay for three days.

Brazil and France are set to sign an international cooperation agreement that would allow police from both countries to launch joint operations aimed at tackling illegal mining in French Guiana.

The countries have expressed concern about increased wildcat mining activities and environmental crimes near the border between Brazil's northern state of Amapa and French Guiana.

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The agreement would allow the countries to launch joint operations, train police officers and share results obtained from the analysis of the composition of illegal gold extracted in both countries, according to Brazilian sources.

It is expected to be signed when French President Emmanuel Macron visits his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Brasilia late March.

The deal expands a similar one signed by Lula and former French President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008.

"The French expressed their intention to deepen ties with Brazil," a source at Brazil's Justice Ministry told AFP, adding that the new agreement would be more focused on operations than the previous one.

(with newswires)