French President Emmanuel Macron during the Africa Forward Summit in Kenya. (KNA/Facebook)
President Macron was in Africa. He co-chaired the Africa Forward Summit with President Ruto of Kenya, the host of the event. The objectives of the summit were clear and, viewed against the many professions of collaboration emanating from Europe and elsewhere about the need to engage constructively with Africa because it is the future, France’s objectives appeared broadly aligned with the trend. After all, there has been an Italy-Africa summit, a China-Africa summit, a Russia-Africa summit, TICAD, Francophone summits and mini US-Africa summits. France, too, in this vein was merely positioning itself strategically on the coveted continent.
Participation in the summit was impressive. The secretary general of the UN, António Guterres, was there alongside more than 20 African heads of state and government from various countries.
In the formal opening, President Ruto emphasised sovereign equality, investment over aid and the need for a partnership built on mutual respect and shared responsibility. President Macron, in his statement, indicated that France wanted a relationship of equals with Africa, built around co-investment, innovation and shared ambitions. The UN secretary general spoke about Africa’s leadership, the injustice of a global system designed without Africa and the need for respect, investment at scale and reform of international financial institutions. The stage was thus set for the summit, with the hope that it would contribute to the professed need to re-engage with Africa on a different footing.
