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.
As other countries get wary of France, Kenya is seeing the good in Paris’ bad.
The two sides will jointly host the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on May 11–12, 2026, marking the first time the meeting is held in a non-Francophone country.
And the Africa Forward Summit 2026, hosted jointly by Kenya and France, brings together heads of state, business leaders, and innovators to forge a new partnership built on equal ground.
A provisional itinerary seen by the Nation showed that at least 30 heads of state and government were expected in Nairobi, including France’s Emmanuel Macron.
But Kenya says it is seeing beyond the meeting. Officials say Nairobi is targeting increased French investment to accelerate sustainable development, technological innovation, and critical infrastructure, targeting key areas like renewable energy, digital economy, and manufacturing.
France is currently Kenya’s fifth-largest provider of foreign direct investment (FDI), with over 150 companies operating in the country. Yet the decision by Paris to focus on Anglophone countries didn’t start today. It was only fast-tracked by rising tensions in Francophone region in West Africa, where a series of coups and coup attempts were blamed on longtime French interference.
As a result, a number of countries terminated military hosting contracts with France, forcing troops that had stayed on African soils for decades to fold and leave. Senegal, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso all ordered French troops to leave.
France has since entered a defence cooperation deal with Kenya, which could see Paris establish a military camp on Kenyan soil.
In September 2024, France approached Kenya to jointly host the first Africa-France Summit outside France. President William Ruto quickly agreed, seeing an opportunity to be closer to France and diversify partnerships.
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.
The two Presidents will lead the event, which focuses on transforming France-Africa relations into a partnership for innovation, growth, and sustainable investment.
“There are over 150 French companies doing business in Kenya employing over 70,000 Kenyans. That is not a small thing. We want that footprint to improve,” said Dr Korir Sing'oei, the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Foreign Affairs.
“In terms of nuclear energy, the French are now anchoring security in Europe. Kenya, which is not a Francophone country, sees this as an opportunity to tap into France's energy sector.”
Africa Forward Summit
France is expanding its investment from traditional sectors into digital innovation, AI, and green energy, with French FDI in Kenya tripling over the past decade.
In terms of renewable energy and infrastructure, France has invested heavily, $618million (€525 million) over the past decade, in Kenya's green energy projects -wind/solar and infrastructure, including water treatment- the Kigoro plant and urban transport.
The French government is supporting the new focus, ‘Digitalisation for TVET’ programme, supported by the French Development Agency (AFD), which aims to enhance youth employability through technical skill training.
Bilateral trade between the two countries exceeds $300 million. France exports pharmaceuticals, machinery, and technology, while Kenya exports agricultural produce like flowers, tea, and coffee.
The upcoming Nairobi summit is expected to focus on security, climate change, environmental challenges, and financial system reform, as aligned with initiatives such as the Nairobi Declaration from the Africa Climate Summit.
“The Africa Forward Summit will be a significant milestone in that endeavour. For the first time, France and an English-speaking African country will co-chair this event, symbolising an open and future-focused relationship,” said Arnaud Suquet, the French Ambassador to Kenya.
“This summit will bring together States, businesses, young people, artists and diasporas. Because the relationship between France and Africa cannot merely be declared, it must be built on the ground by innovators, entrepreneurs and creatives,” he said in Nairobi on Thursday.
The Summit aims to demonstrate the African continent’s innovation capacity and affirm a shared commitment to developing common, mutually beneficial solutions based on effective multilateralism and a spirit of transformative partnership.
“In Nairobi, some 1,500 economic stakeholders will be mobilised to transform ambitions into projects and projects into results,” said Ambassador Arnaud Suquet.
As of March 2026, France is navigating a defensive role in the escalating Iran conflict, aiming to protect regional partners and its interests without engaging in direct offensive war.
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.
While avoiding direct strikes on Iran, France has deployed Rafale jets, air defenses, and its aircraft carrier to the region to protect allies like the UAE and Cyprus.
“You cannot have the heads of state coming and fail not to discuss peace and security,” said Suquet.
Even the French quietly admit to mistakes in previous dealings in Africa. They hope to explain themselves at the Summit, although it is unclear now who will actually show up.
Organisers say the Summit represents a significant opportunity for a paradigm shift to a more balanced, equitable, and mutually respectful partnership.
“The Nairobi summit will be a moment of truth in the lead-up to the G7 Summit in Evian. A moment to welcome a renewed relationship between Africa and France, one that is clear, of a high standard and firmly action-oriented,” the French Ambassador said during a breakfast meeting with editors in Nairobi.
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