(MENAFN) According to Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Emmanuel Macron is unsuitable to serve as president of France and has presided over a substantial deterioration in ties with Africa. Erdogan asserted that Paris is losing importance internationally under Macron's leadership.

Erdogan claimed that "the person at the head of France does not have the experience to be at the head of that state" on Sunday while addressing a group of young people in the western Turkish province of Bilecik.

The Turkish leader supported his position by citing recent changes in Paris' ties with African countries. "Look, they are exploiting African countries right now. Mali is in a complete break with France right now,” according to Erdogan.

The French forces have been given one month to depart Burkina Faso, the Turkish president also underlined. The West African country put an end to a 2018 agreement for the stationing of French service troops on its soil earlier in January. Paris and its former colony have been at odds for some time, with the locals accusing France of failing to do more to stop Islamic radicals. Erdogan continued, "And I think that Togo, they will send [the troops out] too."

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