PARIS — Emmanuel Macron will not attend Thursday’s European Council meeting in Brussels as he heads to Mayotte, a French oversea territory in the Indian Ocean coping with the aftermath of a devastating tropical cyclone.
Macron will be represented at the council by his German counterpart Olaf Scholz, “in accordance with established practice between France and Germany,” the French presidency said in a statement. He will attend Wednesday evening’s EU-Western Balkans summit in Brussels, it added.
Tropical cyclone Chido struck Mayotte on Saturday, causing extensive damage to both lives and infrastructure. As of Tuesday evening, the official toll stood at 22 dead and 1,373 injured. However, local authorities warn the death toll could reach several thousand.
