French President Emmanuel Macron (left) shakes hands with Kenya's President William Ruto prior to a meeting at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris, on January 24, 2023.
Kenya will step onto the global stage tomorrow as President William Ruto and France’s Emmanuel Macron co-host the Africa Forward Summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi.
The ‘Africa Forward’ Summit, themed ‘Africa–France Partnership for Innovation and Growth’, is a high-level gathering that will draw over 4,000 delegates, including 30 heads of state and government, global financiers, business leaders, and civil society groups.
It will be the first France–Africa summit to be held in a non-Francophone African country.
The theme reflects some of President Ruto’s favourite topics, which he has spoken about many times, including debt and financing reform, climate change, peace and security, technology and innovation, among others.
Other dignitaries expected to attend include UN Secretary-General António Guterres, African Union Commission chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, AfDB President Sidi Ould Tah, and leaders from key EU institutions and other regional development agencies.
Although this is not the first time that a large gathering of leaders has taken place in Kenya, officials in Nairobi say that this summit marks a major diplomatic milestone for Kenya and Africa.
At a virtual media briefing on Thursday, Dr Korir Sing’oei, the Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said that the meeting would provide African countries with a fresh start.
“We are dealing with a different context,” he said. “The times have changed, and Africa and Europe are collaborating. Now is the time to present Africa’s stronger role.”
He said trade, technology, investments, collaboration on vaccine production, climate change mitigation, and ocean safety would be some of the outcomes of the expected Nairobi Declaration.
France itself may see the summit as an opportunity to improve its image on the continent.
President William Ruto and French counterpart Emmanuel Macron during bilateral talks on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, USA on September 24, 2025.
In April, Kenya approved, with reservations, a bilateral agreement with France for defence cooperation, which could see Paris establish a military training camp in Kenya. France wants to boost security for its overseas territories in the Indian Ocean as well as collaborate on maritime security, rather than impose its way on locals.
These blossoming ties had begun earlier. In September 2024, France approached Kenya to jointly host the first Africa-France Summit outside France. President Ruto quickly agreed, seeing an opportunity to be closer to France and diversify partnerships.
Arnaud Suquet, the French Ambassador to Kenya and Somalia, said Paris has “taken responsibility for past mistakes.”
Cabinet Secretary for Tourism and Wildlife Rebecca Miano (left), Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi, French Ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Suquet and Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Dr Korir Sing’oei, hold a symbolic key at Kenyatta International Convention Centre, in Nairobi on May 9, 2026.
“It is true that we have a past, but over a couple of years, especially under the leadership of the current President (Macron), we have made bold steps in looking into our past objectively,” he told Fixing the Nation show on Nation FM on Friday.
“We are totally open to criticism, but we want to open a new partnership that is mutually beneficial. An Africa that prospers is in the interest of France,” the French diplomat argued.
Since it was announced two years ago, officials have dismissed criticism that France has turned to new partners after mishandling its Francophone regions in Africa.
On Thursday, Dr Sing’oei said that the continent should learn from the past and negotiate new terms with France.
“The global environment in which this engagement is taking place requires a rethink on the part of the countries involved,” said the PS.
Past misdeeds
“We are aware of the past misdeeds of many European countries, not just France, on this continent. But Africa has a clear vision of the advantages of engaging in a different setting where we know what we want.”
Kenya especially expects deals to bolster its business relations with France. France is expanding its investment beyond traditional sectors into digital innovation, AI and green energy, and French foreign direct investment (FDI) in Kenya has tripled over the past decade. France has invested heavily, $618million (€525 million, ShSh79.9 billion) over the past decade, in Kenya’s green energy projects: wind and solar infrastructure, including a water treatment plant at the Kigoro plant and urban transport.
A pedestrian walks near a billboard featuring Kenyan President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of the "Africa Forward" Summit, in the outskirts of Nairobi, Kenya May 7, 2026.
The summit is seen as signalling a shift towards broader continental inclusivity and a redefinition of Africa–France relations, which were initially based on defence and security.
At the heart of the Nairobi meeting is the joint push by Ruto and Macron to reposition Africa as a ‘continent of solutions’, capable of driving innovation, industrialisation, and global economic transformation, rather than as a recipient of aid.
An official summit briefing seen by the Sunday Nation says the forum aims to promote a new partnership framework based on mutual benefit, shared responsibility, and African-led priorities.
Discussions will focus on economic transformation, reform of the global financial architecture, climate financing, digital innovation, food systems, health sovereignty, and peace and security.
The summit is taking place at a pivotal moment in geopolitics, with African countries increasingly demanding greater representation in global financial institutions and decision-making structures. As the current holder of the G7 presidency, France is expected to use the Nairobi summit to build momentum ahead of the G7 Summit in Évian, France, later this year.
At this summit, African priorities are expected to be a key focus. Meanwhile, Kenya is positioning itself as a key diplomatic and economic bridge between Africa and Europe, while also strengthening its role as a continental leader in areas such as climate action, technology, renewable energy, and peace diplomacy.
The summit’s agenda is centred on seven themes expected to influence Africa’s future growth. Chief among these is green industrialisation and energy transition, with African leaders and global CEOs set to discuss investment opportunities in renewable energy, clean manufacturing, and green infrastructure.
Climate crisis
These discussions will focus on how Africa can industrialise while responding to the climate crisis and making use of its abundant renewable energy resources. Another key topic will be reforming the global financial architecture, with African leaders expected to advocate for fairer access to financing, improved debt restructuring mechanisms, and greater representation in international organisations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
President Ruto has repeatedly highlighted the issue of restructuring the global financial architecture, a subject close to his heart. During his state visit to Italy last month, he called for a rethink of the “disproportionately high costs of capital” that African countries face.
Peace and security will also be a key focus of the summit, particularly in light of rising instability in some parts of the continent and shifting global power dynamics. Beyond diplomacy, the summit will also heavily focus on trade, investment and entrepreneurship.
A Business Forum dubbed Africa Forward: Inspire & Connect will bring together about 1,500 African and French business leaders, SMEs, investors and young entrepreneurs to discuss cross-border investment opportunities and partnerships.
President William Ruto on Friday discussed “Transforming Climate Finance” with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva, President of France Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak, President of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo and the Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, Dubai.
The forum will feature networking sessions, business-to-business and business-to-government engagements to unlock investments in sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, health, technology and the blue economy.
Youth and innovation will also take centre stage during the summit with a dedicated event focusing on employability, AI, digital transformation and Africa’s positioning in the global innovation ecosystem.
There will be the Africa Forward Concert at Kasarani Indoor Arena on Tuesday, featuring legendary artistes from across the continent. It will feature Senegalese legend Youssou N’Dour. Others listed included Congolese popstar Fally Ipupa, Nigeria’s Yemi Alade, South Africa’s Nomcebo Zikode, Ugandan legend Jose Chameleone and Kenya’s Savara, he of the Sauti Sol fame.
On the sidelines of the summit, First Lady Rachel Ruto will host a high-level forum on child online safety titled Building Safer Digital Spaces for Children in Africa in an AI-Driven World. The event will bring together African leaders, technology companies, UN agencies and children’s representatives to address rising digital threats targeting children and position Kenya as a leader in digital safety for children in a rapidly evolving technological world.
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