THE Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi was meant to be French President Emmanuel Macron’s public pivot away from Francophone Africa toward a new partnership with English speaking nations.
Instead, the two-day gathering resulted in a public failure for Paris. The event was marked by logistical failures, street protests by concerned Kenyans, and an angry outburst by the French leader on stage.
These problems exposed the weakness of France’s influence on the continent. Yet the most notable problem was the absence of South Africa. Without the continent’s most industrialised economy, the poorly organised forum turned into a diplomatic failure that Macron could not fix.
From the start of the summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, the organisation was poor. Long queues and problems with credentialing caused friction. Reports indicated that delegates and high-profile guests were locked out of sessions.
CNN journalist Larry Madowo documented the problems, noting that delays in accreditation and overlapping schedules caused confusion among attendees. Witnesses reported scuffles between delegates and security personnel.
