French PM To Visit Nigeria As Part Of Shift In African Focus

PARIS (AFP)--French Prime Minister Francois Fillon is to pay a visit to Nigeria this week as part of an Africa tour meant to highlight France's shift away from its traditional partners.

On his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa, Fillon will arrive Wednesday in Cameroon, a former French colony, to sign three agreements on defense, health and immigration.

Accompanied by about a dozen French business leaders, Fillon travels to Abuja Friday for talks with President Umara Yar'Adua and Vice-president Goodluck Jonathan.

The prime minister will make an address to the 16-nation Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, based in Abuja, before flying off to the restive oil-rich Niger Delta.

Accompanied by Total SA (TOT) Chief Executive Christophe de Margerie, the prime minister will Saturday visit an oil platform run by the French company, which gets 10% of its oil production from the region.

"In Cameroon we are consolidating relations. In Nigeria, we are establishing new bases," said an official in Fillon's office.

Three agreements will be signed in Nigeria to strengthen cooperation to fight crime and to help the Nigerian navy combat offshore banditry.

The French agency for development will sign a EUR30 million investment accord with Nigeria's Zenith Bank.