One number
What surprised me in a positive way were the 67 female Rwandan deputies. Probably one of the consequences of the drama the country witnessed not so long ago.
One dream for Africa
To continue on the dynamic of women, my dream probably is to widen education, the potential absolute weapon we need to develop very very soon. We are realizing that when education fails somewhere, a gap opens.
A story? An anecdote?
Some friends put me in charge of filming a private but very wealthy wedding of a rich industrial's daughter in Benin. It still was a time of marxism-leninism in Benin, so the spirit was stupefying. I remember it was an unbelievable wedding.
A proposal?
It probably already exists, but for European countries to ally and to create very strong partnerships with African countries. I think it will be mandatory in the future.
Africa by night
When I see this picture, what strikes me is this never-ending black whole in the shape of the African continent, a continent so beautiful by day and absolutely dark right there. The illuminated world around it, the cities, the urban flourishing and the Sahara in absolute darkness.
Energies for Africa
Borloo's initiative primarily is an absolute glow of cleverness because it's obvious and everything starts with this. The problem has one aspect: electricity; and then the rest will come: education and everything else we mentioned. I think it's essential.
My commitment
On a personal level, my commitment would be dedicated to culture and art. Anyway, I think that on every continent, Humanity needs art. Africa has a lot to teach us on this.
A story? An anecdote?
I remember being in Ouagadougou not so long ago. I was impressed to see a wall with both Che Guevara and Obama on it, both were heroes for the artists of this wall. I thought it was great!
A proposal
For every African to have access to internet.
Africa by night... A proposal
This beautiful picture - where we see all the continent lit up except for Africa - it followed us throughout the years Jean-Louis Borloo was Minister of Ecology. He was obsessed with it, he was showing it everywhere he went, so it always inspired us for all this time.
Energies for Africa
I think it's fascinating, exciting, and inspiring. I think it's exactly what needs to be done, everyone is enthusiastic and I'm the first one of them. So, I think that the key to everything is the energy, with a little water, I'm not forgetting water I'm including it.
My commitment:
To be useful, if I can be useful, I'm thrilled. I like beautiful causes and the more difficult the more beautiful.
Africa in one word
To me, complicated stories begin because it's impossible to extensively simplify Africa, which is more sophisticated than we imagine, with many more differences and spreads. The way we globally approach the continent might be quite complicated including in terms of religions. Looking closer we can not put them all in the same place hoping they'll stay put because there're only Africans.
One number
650 million cell-phones is a way to tell people they are not going to follow the same process, the same path, they will simplify and radicalize because they are inventing a future at their own pace to avoid useless steps. They directly went to the step where they pay with their cell-phones so it's striking to see them with 650 million cell-phones.
A dream for Africa
For them to discover their own path, to not follow the Asians' footsteps so nervous, so liberal, and so willing to move faster than everyone else and therefore polluting: half of China is sunk in an unbreathable air. I don't want Africans to compare themselves with Americans or Europeans, but to find their own way, more harmonious, more interesting and respectful of those who started later to arrive earlier.
A story? An anecdote?
It can not leave women out. In the Women Forum in particular, we often saw African delegations with great qualities among which the capacity to mobilize French women by explaining to them how much they are fighting over there, how their challenges are great ones, how most construction works were done by women, and how it was in our interest to keep climbing, to continue to consider the issue of women as an important one.
Africa by night
I think we must hurry. We have to give them access to lighting, it has become urgent if we don't want to have problems. This picture is beautiful, it makes people think and they all say: some people have to be given more, they need more. Energy is not always negative.
Energies for Africa
It's just pure happiness! First because Borloo is crazy for having decided that we were going to change it all overnight. This person from across the world wants to light a whole continent with his own energy; is it possible not to melt? We would want him to take care of everything.
My commitment
To help as many people as possible, such as Jean-Louis, to try bringing something to Africa in particular. The challenge of energy seems very important.
The link with women is fascinating, African women are exceptional and I want to create links and personal exchanges. I remember a meeting on Francophone countries: African women had so much more vigor and energy than us, and I said to myself we needed to come up with places where they could talk because they truly are magnificent.
We support this generous initiative. We should have been able to carry and nurture this project. But since we weren't able to do so, Jean-Louis Borloo stood out. As State leaders we now should continue to promote this project to other State leaders, to the ECOWAS, and to the African Parliament.
Africa in one word is 1 billion inhabitants today for 2 billion in 2050. So a continent with an incredible potential, especially because a majority of the 2 billion are young, so Africa means youth.
A number?
I cant' help but say it's 25% of Total Enterprise, I could say Total is Africa. So, there's another number I could give: Africa is only 1% of the world's electricity consumption and so something disappears between my 1 billion inhabitants and my 1% of the world's electricity consumption.
A dream for Africa?
That this billion inhabitants access our level of development. It is far from it, the potential is enormous, the continent aspires to this development and it holds all the natural and human resources to do so. We need to find the catalysts for Africa to emerge.
A story? An anecdote?
To me, Africa is a face, the face of the children's first nanny because I was in Angola during my first stay abroad for Total. I discovered Africa through Angola, a country facing civil war at the time. And there was this young woman who took care of my one-month old child; we are still in contact with her. It's this woman's smile in Angola is remember most about Africa.
A proposal
For Africans to take their own destiny in their hands. For centuries, Africa's history has evolved through the Western world, explaining to them how to properly govern Africa. Africa is a land with a huge culture, people, tribes, and capable of taking care of itself. And that's what I would hope for Africa and Africans: to take care of themselves.
Africa by night...
When I see this picture of Africa by night, with no distasteful play on words, I'd say that Africa is evidently in the dark. We can see it two different ways: Africa lives by the rhythm of nature, of the sun but it's also the translation of the fact that Africa has no light, no electricity. And that's the whole challenge our friend Borloo is trying to put forward: to bring light to Africa, a vital component of its development.
Energies for Africa
Jean-Louis Borloo's initiative to bring light to Africans naturally resonates to the boss of Total Entreprise. He approaches it from the angle of electricity but Africa needs all energies and especially renewable energies. One of the ways to bring electricity to Africans would be to develop solar energies in Africa. There're both an important potential and a paradox because while Africa is overflowing with energy, it is not consumed there. Jean-Louis Borloo's idea is a good one in the sense that electricity brings all kinds of development: hospitals, schools. It's the basis of economic development and energy is the keystone of development.
My commitment:
The commitment I want to take for Africa is in fact to contribute to develop the access to energy. How can I do this with Total? Among others, we've developed solar energy. Africa should be able to benefit from some sort of sustainable development since we are facing this climate challenge. We bet on bringing solar lamps to 25 million Africans because we own 20% of the fuel distribution networks. Our bet is to being electricity through the Total solar lamps to 25% of Africans. It's my commitment today.
FRANCAIS
ENGLISH
ALL OF AFRICA IS ENTITLED TO ELECTRICITY
650 MILLION AFRICANSLIVE WITHOUT LIGHT AND ELECTRICITY
THE PLAN LIGHT AND ELECTRICITY FOR ALL
THE APPEAL OF AFRICA TO THE WORLDNOVEMBER, 3, 2015
THE MOBILIZATION OF MEDICAL TEACHERSNO HEALTH WITHOUT ELECTRICITY
