Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Hamas: We salute our people who have demonstrated unparalleled pride, heroism, and honor.
Hamas: We salute our great people in the Gaza Strip, Al-Quds, the West Bank, and both inside and outside the homeland.
Hamas: We call on President Trump and the guarantor countries to compel the occupation government to fully implement the obligations of the agreement.
Hamas: We highly appreciate the efforts of the brotherly mediators in Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, and we value the efforts of US President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war.
Hamas: We announce that an agreement has been reached, which entails an end to the war on Gaza, the withdrawal of the occupation, the entry of aid, and a prisoner exchange.
Hani al-Dali to Al Mayadeen: Allegedly, Trump is personally guaranteeing a halt to the genocide and an initial 70% withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, to be followed by a full withdrawal.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spox: Mediators say agreement reached on all terms of first phase of Gaza ceasefire.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spox: Mediators say Gaza ceasefire to include end of war, release of Israeli captives and Palestinian prisoners, and entry of aid.
Trump: Israel will withdraw their Troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.
Trump: Israel and Hamas have both signed off on the first Phase of our Peace Plan.

Macron lashes out at furious locals on visit to ravaged Mayotte

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 20 Dec 2024 20:21
4 Min Read

During his visit to disaster-stricken Mayotte, the French president is met with intense backlash from locals angry over the slow response to Cyclone Chido, which left the island devastated.

Listen
  • x
  • Macron faces anger over Cyclone response during Mayotte visit
    France's President Emmanuel Macron, center, visits the Mayotte Hospital Centre in Mamoudzou, on December 19, 2024. (AFP)

During his two-day visit to Mayotte, French President Emmanuel Macron exchanged furious words with people.

Macron paid a visit to a district on Tsingoni, Mayotte's biggest island, where inhabitants still lack access to drinking water and phone service over a week after the hurricane struck. He was heckled on Thursday night by locals who were outraged by France's response to the cyclone as several screamed "We want water, we want water."

Chants of "resign" erupted, as others booed and demanded more help.

As more people expressed frustration at the slow pace of aid efforts, Macron grabbed a microphone and angrily said, "I have nothing to do with the cyclone, you can blame me, it wasn't me!" Addressing the audience, he added, "You've been through something terrible, everyone's struggling, regardless of skin color."

Macron vacillated between acknowledging the hardship and pushing back against criticism.

Visibly losing patience, Macron then shouted, “You’re happy to be in France ... If it wasn’t France, you’d be 10,000 times more scre**d!”

À Mayotte, l’échange tendu entre @EmmanuelMacron et des habitants de Mayotte mécontents de la gestion de la catastrophe par l’État, après le dramatique cyclone du week-end dernier.
Voici une longue partie de cet échange avec les images de @RemyBuisine sur place pour Brut. pic.twitter.com/vqOV3D3s4U

— Brut FR (@brutofficiel) December 20, 2024

The French president went on to say, boasting about the amount of help offered, which remains his duty by law, "There's no place in the Indian Ocean where people get so much help!" In response, a woman yelled, “We disagree".

Macron under fire over comments to Mayotte locals

Related News

France grapples with rising calls for independence from colonies

Mayotte, a remnant from the French colonialism of Arab land

Macron's comments in Mayotte have sparked backlash in mainland France, with many accusing him of putting on a show.

“Macron humiliated the relatives of thousands of victims,” Alma Dufour, an MP for the far-left France Unbowed party, wrote on X.

À Mayotte, Macron a humilié les proches de milliers de victimes.

L'article du Monde l'achève: racisme, sexisme, homophobie s'ajoutent à son mépris de classe d'une violence inouïe.

Qui peut encore nier qu'il est le problème ? pic.twitter.com/XUIkbsIpWi

— Alma Dufour (@alma_dufour) December 20, 2024

“We've got the biggest human catastrophe since World War II and we're putting on a Macron show,” said Sandrine Rousseau, a Green MP, in an interview for France 2.

Cyclone Chido swept over the island on Saturday, France's poorest department, which has 320,000 people and 100,000 migrants. 

Meanwhile, French officials attempted to repair damaged water pipelines, including one in Mirereni that supplies 10,000 residents. Heat has hindered continuing repair operations, and people are anxious about the possibility of sickness caused by water scarcity following a recent cholera outbreak.

French authorities acknowledged at least 35 deaths, but the figure is likely to be far higher. There are suspicions that hundreds, if not thousands, of people have perished, especially considering that many affected areas have not yet been reached by rescue workers.

Many in Mayotte have expressed disbelief that the toll hasn’t been updated more quickly.

The Interior Ministry said Friday that in addition to the deaths, 67 people were seriously injured and more than 2,400 slightly injured.

“The number of deaths does not reflect the reality of the 100,000 people living in precarious housing,” the statement said. “The prefect has therefore ordered the deputy prefect to set up a mission to search for the dead.”
 
It said 70% of residents were “seriously affected".

The visit was originally scheduled for Thursday, but the French president stated that he extended his stay overnight out of respect.

The administration has begun a district-by-district census to count the deceased, with mayors and local groups assisting. A special team is verifying the data. French Health Minister Geneviève Darrieussecq confirmed that 17% of hospital staff and 40% of regional health professionals are still missing, roughly 60 to 70 people, while large swathes of the population lack phone services.

  • Mayotte
  • Emmanuel Macron
  • France
  • French President Emmanuel Macron

Most Read

Tucker Carlson speaks at a memorial for Charlie Kirk, Sunday, September 21, 2025, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona (AP)

Tucker Carlson: Israeli officers gave orders on Iran inside Pentagon

  • Politics
  • 2 Oct 2025
A Hamas fighter in combat fatigues stands before the ceremony for the handover of Israeli captives to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Saturday, February 22, 2025 (AP)

Hamas responds to Trump plan, backs Gaza withdrawal, exchange

  • Politics
  • 3 Oct 2025
Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder revealed

Mossad’s secret role in Aldo Moro’s 1978 murder exposed

  • Politics
  • 5 Oct 2025
The Palestinian resistance and the people of Gaza showed that after combating Israeli aggression for two years, they remain victorious in the face of oppression (Mahdi Rteil/Al Mayadeen English)

Al-Aqsa Flood two years on, a tale of victory

  • Politics
  • 6 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
An Israeli armored vehicle moves on a street of a local market during a military raid in the West Bank refugee camp of Balata, Wednesday, October 8, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Israeli settlers kill Palestinian youth near Ramallah amid raids

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov speaks during the Moscow format consultations on Afghanistan in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran interested in resuming nuclear talks: Lavrov

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva speaks during a news conference at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) headquarters in Washington, April 25, 2025 (AP)
Politics

IMF head flags US budget, Europe Defense spending challenges

Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025, at UN headquarters (AP)
Politics

Meloni faces ICC complaint over Gaza genocide complicity with Israelis

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS