The Africa Forward Summit got off to a flying start on Monday at the University of Nairobi with the opening address by President William Ruto and his French counterpart and co-host Emmanuel Macron.
The high-level youth engagement event attracted hundreds of young people from various sectors in France and Africa. When President Macron took to the stage, he announced that France would support young Africans to realise their talents and dreams.
He added that France has been working closely with young people who hold dual citizenship to support their talents. He stated that, while France has traditionally focused on its former colonies, this is changing as more countries join the conversation, including Kenya.
With the theme of the youth forum being, Future Makers in the Wake of Digital Disruption due to Artificial Intelligent (AI), President Macron stated that more data centers will be established across the region.
“When you speak about AI, a lot of us are affected,” President Macron said, adding that investment in the region will address traditional problems of governance and employment. We have to build much nuclear facilities, renewable, nuclear in order to be able to deploy electrification of our common use in Europe, electrification for households and companies in Africa.”
Among the areas that he said will be targeted, with the aim of reaching out to the young people, is the learning institutions.
“This is what we want to do to schools in the continent, how to educate more talents to make sure that they will be retained here with the best education system, the best partnership that will stay and help the country to develop and help the continent to develop. We will expand this partnership between our universities and African universities. We will accelerate this kind of investment and partnership.”
Also, Mr Macron said that French companies will establishment of 50 digital centers.
According to President Ruto, his administration has prioritise changing the education system to leverage the ground for aspiring young talents.
“There was a time when education was all about academics and what you can cram and what you can regurgitate and what you can do. Today we are changing that to be more experiential so that what you that we get more skills, more competences, and that is why 60 percent of our education is targeting stem subjects that will inform what these grate young leaders are talking about,” Dr Ruto said, adding that the right competencies among the young people will allow them to participate meaningfully.
Presidents Duma Boko of Botswana (left) and Bassirou Diomaye Faye of Senegal (right) arrive at the University of Nairobi on Monday, May 11, 2026, for the afternoon engagements of the Africa Forward Summit 2026.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
On digital infrastructure, Kenyan President said that the country is connected through fibre optic cables, making sure that internet is accessible, hence creating spaces where entrepreneurs, creatives, young people can undertake their assignments, and their aspirations.
“We are manufacturing now here in Kenya a lot of digital assets, whether it is phones, whether it is computers, and all that digital infrastructure. 30,000 kilometres of fibre optics are already in Kenya to make sure that every part of Kenya is in the loop. The Ministry of ICT is now working to bring the rest of the world into Kenya to experience. This makes sure that some that some of the best companies in the world come to participate with us.”
Additionally, President Ruto reiterated that Kenya is neither going to the West or East in terms of allegiance but across the globe, provided that the move will be for the interest of Kenyans.
The two-day summit will be at the level of Heads of State and government, and is intended to illustrate the African continent’s innovative capacity, and the shared commitment to develop common and mutually beneficial solutions based on effective multilateralism and the spirit of transformative partnership.
