Nairobi, Kenya// – The Africa Forward Summit came to a close in Nairobi, Kenya, on May 12 with over 30 African Heads of State and Government setting out an actionable framework to advance a renewed Africa–France partnership anchored on parity, mutual respect, co-investment, and delivery.
Co-chaired by H.E. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, and H.E. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, among business leaders, development finance institutions, innovators, youth leaders, and civil society representatives from Africa, France, and across the globe.
Hosted for the first time in non-Francophone Africa, the Summit marked a deliberate shift toward a future-oriented partnership focused on shared prosperity, industrial transformation, innovation, and sustainable development.
Through the Nairobi Declaration, the leaders committed to accelerating investments across priority sectors critical to Africa’s development trajectory while reaffirming Africa’s position not as a recipient of development support, but as a strategic global partner and co-architect of solutions to emerging global challenges.
Discussions across the thematic roundtables also underscored the importance of unlocking Africa’s blue economy potential, modernising agricultural value chains, scaling artificial intelligence and digital innovation, strengthening pharmaceutical manufacturing, and expanding resilient public health systems.
On peace and security, the leaders emphasised that peace will only come through the unity of the African continent, which would be better represented in international bodies. They also highlighted that the African Union should have greater capacity and resources to develop its own peace and security operations and mediation efforts.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, H.E. President William Samoei Ruto said, “Africa is no longer seeking partnerships built on dependency or historical obligation. We are building partnerships grounded in mutual respect, shared prosperity, and co-investment. The Nairobi Declaration reflects a shared commitment to move from conversation to implementation and to position Africa as a central driver of global growth and innovation.”
H.E. President Emmanuel Macron added: “France believes in a renewed partnership with Africa, focusing on delivering peace, prosperity, and sovereignty for all. The Africa Forward Summit was a great demonstration that together, as partners, we can empower each other to devise our own solutions, harness our resources and champion our talents. This is the future of Africa–France relations.”
The Heads of State and Government Summit built on the momentum generated during the Africa Forward: Inspire & Connect Business Forum held on May 11 at the University of Nairobi, which convened over 7,00 business leaders and resulted in over EUR 23 billion in announced investment commitments, partnerships, and commercial agreements across energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, agribusiness, financial services, digital innovation, and logistics sectors
The Africa Forward Summit marks a defining moment in repositioning Africa–France cooperation around practical delivery, co-industrialization, and measurable partnerships capable of creating jobs, expanding opportunity, and strengthening economic resilience. This ambitious agenda will be championed by France and Kenya at the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, June 15–17, 2026.
