French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Nairobi on Sunday, where he was welcomed by Kenyan President William Ruto as part of a wider African tour aimed at revitalising France’s relationship with the continent after years of strained relations with several former colonies.
The visit comes as Macron prepares to co-host a two-day summit beginning on Monday, which will bring together African heads of state and leading business executives.
The gathering is expected to focus on economic development, cross-border investment and broader opportunities for cooperation between African nations and international partners, according to the French presidency.
Africa Summit In Kenya To Focus On Investment And Economic Growth
The summit marks the first time this type of high-level forum has been staged in an English-speaking African country, a move seen as symbolic of France’s efforts to broaden its engagement beyond its traditional francophone sphere of influence.
Macron is seeking to use the event to showcase what one diplomat described as a “report card on his Africa policy”, as he looks to define his legacy with just one year remaining in his presidential term.
The French leader has made strengthening ties with Africa a central pillar of his foreign policy, while attempting to reshape a relationship long criticised for being paternalistic.
Macron Seeks To Rebuild France-Africa Ties Amid Rising Global Competition
France faces growing hostility in several former colonies, where anti-French sentiment has intensified in recent years.
At the same time, Africa has become an increasingly competitive diplomatic arena, with both Russia and China expanding their influence across the continent.
France, which once controlled large territories in northern, central and western Africa, has played a major role in the continent’s post-colonial history and has intervened militarily on numerous occasions since the early 1960s.
[WHO Chief To Join Tenerife Hantavirus Evacuation As MV Hondius Nears Canary Islands]
Paris has pledged to move away from the so-called “Francafrique” strategy, under which France maintained close influence over francophone African nations through political alliances, preferential treatment for French companies and opaque financial arrangements, including graft.
Macron travelled to Kenya after visiting Egypt and is expected to continue his tour with a stop in Ethiopia.
The trip is designed to reinforce France’s diplomatic and economic presence in Africa at a time when traditional alliances are being reassessed and new partnerships are emerging across the continent.
