Rihanna, Macron champion education funding at Senegal forum

Emmanuel Macron ahead of his victory speech on Sunday night after winning the French presidential elections

Singer Rihanna and French President Emmanuel Macron were headlining a meeting in Senegal on Friday raising money for education in poor countries.

Cheers and whistles rang out in the conference centre in Senegal's capital, Dakar, as Rihanna was announced.

Rihanna tweeted "merci" to thank Macron for co-hosting the Global Partnership for Education conference as part of his two-day trip to Senegal.


Macron called education "the only single response" to the extremism and fundamentalism threatening the West Africa region. He promised $248m for the fund, sharply upping France's earlier offer, and urged others to pitch in toward the $3.8bn  overall goal.