NAIROBI, May 11 – Africa Forward Summit opened in Kenya on Monday, bringing together French President Emmanuel Macron and more than 30 African leaders as France pushes to expand economic partnerships and secure new investment deals across the continent.
The gathering marks the first time France has hosted the summit in an English-speaking African country since the initiative began in the 1970s, reflecting Paris’ broader effort to diversify its relationships beyond its traditional Francophone sphere of influence.
During a state visit to Kenya on Sunday, Macron announced that French shipping giant CMA CGM plans to invest €700 million ($823 million) to modernise facilities at the Port of Mombasa, East Africa’s largest gateway port.
The summit began with a business forum at the University of Nairobi attended by President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto alongside executives from major French companies including TotalEnergies and Orange.
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, was also among attendees at the event, which brought together African presidents, deputy presidents and prime ministers.
Kenya is positioning the summit as an opportunity to attract greater French investment linked to the rollout of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which aims to create a single continental market across Africa.
President Ruto is also seeking support for reforms to the global financial system to ease debt pressures facing African economies, an initiative France has publicly backed.
Kenyan Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi said Nairobi hopes key outcomes from the summit will also shape discussions at next month’s G7 Summit in France, which Ruto is expected to attend at Macron’s invitation.
The summit comes as France attempts to rebuild influence in Africa following a series of political and military setbacks in West Africa, where anti-French sentiment has intensified in recent years.
Military-led governments in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have expelled French troops since 2020 and strengthened ties with Russian security partners.
France also withdrew from its last major military base in Senegal after President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said foreign military bases were incompatible with national sovereignty.
Macron downplayed concerns over the absence of some African leaders, saying France remained committed to maintaining relationships across the continent, including in West Africa.
