France’s President Emmanuel Macron has cancelled a trip scheduled for December 20 to Mali to visit French troops due to France’s deteriorating health situation over the spread of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.
Macron’s office said on Friday: “This decision was taken in order for there to be coherence between national measures and the president’s international agenda, and in order not to expose troops.”
The country’s Prime Minister Jean Castex announced a new push on Friday to get people vaccinated as France grapples with its fifth wave of COVID-19.
Castex said people would be required to show proof of vaccination to enter some venues. He has cancelled a trip planned to visit French troops stationed in Jordan from December 31 to January 1.