“I’m going to write to [Mr] Macron and invite him here to discuss African and world issues, including Europe,” President Museveni told the outgoing French ambassador during a meeting on Monday evening.

He added: "“I would like really to sit down with Mr Macron and we talk strategically. Europe has nothing to lose if they work well with Africa.”

DR Congo is battling rebel activity in large swathes of its eastern region. One of the main armed groups there, the M23, has recently made gains against the army to occupy a strategic border town and areas around it in North Kivu province.

President Macron last month met the leaders of Rwanda and the DR Congo on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

They discussed how to put an end to activities of armed groups in DR Congo.