NAIROBI, Kenya — French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Kenya Sunday to launch the Africa Forward Summit, a diplomatic gathering designed to demonstrate France’s evolving relationship with African nations as Paris moves away from its colonial-era influence.
The summit represents the first time this event has taken place in an English-speaking African nation, coming after France completed its military withdrawal from West Africa last year following declining regional influence across the continent.
For decades following independence, France maintained what critics called “Françafrique” — a system of economic, political and military control that included deploying thousands of soldiers throughout the region. African leaders and opposition groups frequently condemned this approach as patronizing and heavy-handed.
Kenyan President William Ruto, who is hosting Macron, expressed hopes that the summit will serve as a “turning point” for improved partnerships between the nations.
Addressing the evolving political dynamics, Macron acknowledged that France may “disagree” with West African governments but “never disagrees with the people.”
The two-day conference beginning Monday expects to host 30 heads of state, with ten having already arrived in Nairobi.
However, Kenyan opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka criticized selecting Kenya as the host location, arguing the country faces democratic challenges, opposition suppression and human rights violations as it approaches the 2027 elections.
“There will be an air of pretense that we are a cohesive nation,” Musyoka said. “We know that is far from the truth.”
Ruto responded Sunday by stating that Nairobi aims to develop diverse international relationships and was “neither looking East nor West” but “looking forward.”
During Sunday’s proceedings, Kenya and France finalized 11 partnership agreements covering multiple sectors, including plans for a major nuclear energy facility, transportation improvements, and sustainable farming initiatives.
Macron described these investments as efforts to build “human capital,” aligning with the summit’s emphasis on innovation and Africa’s expanding youth population.
