Nairobi, Kenya — Kenya and France jointly hosted the inaugural Africa Forward Summit under the theme “Africa–France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” marking a significant milestone in the evolution of relations between African countries and France. Co-chaired by H.E. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, and H.E. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, the Summit brought together Heads of State and Government, the African Union, the European Union, international financial institutions, development partners, private sector leaders, innovators, youth representatives, and civil society actors from across Africa and beyond.
The Summit represented a strategic shift towards a more balanced, equitable, and mutually respectful partnership framework anchored on effective multilateralism, shared prosperity, sustainable development, and Africa’s growing agency in shaping global affairs. In his welcoming remarks, H.E William Ruto described Kenya as both the cradle of humankind and a modern hub for African diplomacy, innovation, and enterprise, warmly receiving delegates with the message “Karibuni Nyumbani Welcome Home.” The Summit underscored Africa’s emergence not merely as a continent of potential, but as an active driver of global growth, innovation, and solutions to contemporary challenges.
Against the backdrop of evolving geopolitical dynamics and a shifting international order increasingly characterised by strategic bilateral engagements, the Summit emphasised Africa’s determination to set its own agenda and engage global partners on the basis of equality, mutual respect, and shared interests. Leaders highlighted the importance of redefining traditional partnerships to reflect Africa’s expanding economic influence, demographic strength, technological innovation, and political relevance in global governance.
The Africa Forward Summit adopted a new and action-oriented format focused heavily on economic transformation, entrepreneurship, innovation, and youth engagement. More than 2,000 participants attended the Summit, including senior government officials, development institutions, business executives, young entrepreneurs, civil society organizations, and internationally recognised athletes. The Summit also served as a platform for amplifying the voices and aspirations of Africa’s young leaders and innovators.
Discussions focused on strategic priority areas including reform of the international financial architecture, energy transition and green industrialisation, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, sustainable agriculture, blue economy development, climate resilience, healthcare sovereignty, peace and security, and maritime cooperation. Particular emphasis was placed on mobilising investment, promoting technology transfer, strengthening skills development, and advancing bankable projects capable of delivering tangible socioeconomic outcomes across the continent.
A central feature of the Summit was the strong participation of the private sector and entrepreneurial ecosystem. Business forums and investment dialogues facilitated engagement between African and French enterprises, small and medium-sized businesses, innovators, and public sector representatives with the aim of fostering sustainable economic partnerships and unlocking new investment opportunities.
French representatives described the Summit as a continuation of efforts initiated in 2017 to redefine France’s engagement with Africa through partnerships grounded in mutual interest, equality, and concrete outcomes. Notably, the Nairobi gathering marked the first time France co-hosted such a major Africa-focused summit with a non-Francophone African country, reflecting broader efforts to diversify and modernise relations with the African continent.
Speaking during the Summit, Sandra Kassab, Director of the Africa Department at Agence Française de Développement (AFD), emphasised the increasingly interconnected future between Africa and France, particularly in addressing climate challenges, innovation, and sustainable development. She noted that Africa continues to offer practical and scalable solutions to global issues while remaining central to future international economic and environmental strategies.
Beyond economic cooperation, the Summit delivered a strong political message on the future of multilateralism and Africa’s place within global governance structures. Leaders and participants called for more inclusive, representative, and effective international institutions capable of addressing shared global challenges ranging from climate change and peacebuilding to technological governance and economic resilience. The Summit also served as a strategic precursor to forthcoming global engagements, including discussions ahead of the G7 Summit in Evian, further positioning African priorities at the center of international policymaking conversations.
As the inaugural Africa Forward Summit concluded, Kenya and France presented a shared vision founded on co-creation, co-investment, accountability, and transformative partnership. The Summit reaffirmed a collective commitment to building a modern framework of cooperation capable of delivering sustainable growth, resilience, innovation, and shared prosperity for Africa, France, and the wider international community. The message emerging from Nairobi was unequivocal: Africa is increasingly shaping its own future with confidence, purpose, and strategic clarity and international partnerships must evolve accordingly to reflect this new reality.
