Emmanuel Macron embarks on African tour with investment-focused Kenya summit

Wednesday 06 May 2026 - 11:30

French President Emmanuel Macron will begin a new African tour on Saturday, highlighted by an Africa-France summit in Kenya focused strongly on investment and economic cooperation.

According to the Élysée Palace, the main objective is to “establish and anchor a renewed partnership with African countries,” reflecting a shift in France’s approach to its relations with the continent.

Nairobi summit focused on investment

The summit, titled “Africa Forward,” will take place in Nairobi on May 11–12 and will be the first of its kind hosted in an English-speaking African country under Macron’s presidency.

It will bring together African heads of state and government alongside French and African business leaders, with a strong emphasis on investment flows in both directions.

The agenda includes a business forum, discussions on sport, cultural restitution, and meetings with students, while economic cooperation is expected to remain a central theme throughout.

A shift in Africa-France relations

French officials say the summit aims to mark a break from the traditional “Françafrique” model, characterized by informal influence networks, toward a more transparent and future-oriented partnership.

Relations between France and several African countries, particularly in the Sahel region, have deteriorated in recent years, prompting a reassessment of diplomatic strategy.

Wider regional engagements

Before arriving in Kenya, Macron will visit Egypt to inaugurate the Senghor University of the Francophonie in Alexandria alongside President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi.

He will later travel to Nairobi for bilateral talks with Kenyan President William Ruto, a key partner in French initiatives on global financial reform.

The tour will conclude in Ethiopia, where Macron is expected to meet African Union officials and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in Addis Ababa, focusing on conflict resolution across the continent.