Macron expected to join Rihanna on education work in Senegal

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) - French President Emmanuel Macron is visiting Senegal, where he's expected to join singer Rihanna in rallying funding for global education and meet French troops fighting Islamic extremists.

Macron met Friday in the capital, Dakar, with President Macky Sall and is inaugurating a school before attending a meeting of the Global Partnership for Education.

Rihanna on Thursday tweeted "merci" to thank Macron for co-hosting the conference, which she is also expected to attend. The singer last year appealed to Macron on Twitter to contribute to her efforts to fund education in developing countries, notably in conflict and crisis areas.

Macron, traveling with his wife, Brigitte, later will visit French forces serving with the G5 Sahel, a five-nation regional force launched last year to counter growing extremism in West Africa.