The French President, Emmanuel Macron, has called for major reforms in the way African countries are given financial assistance.

He was speaking at a summit in Paris where African leaders and heads of global financial institutions are looking at ways to offset the economic damage caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The African Development Bank estimates that tens of millions of people could fall below the poverty line this year with many African countries at risk of debt distress because of the pandemic.

Mr Macron drew a link between the continent’s economic troubles and the spread of Islamist militancy as he called for the financial rules to be changed.