France Seeks ‘New Era’ of Partnership With Africa at Nairobi Summit

France has described the upcoming Africa Forward summit in Nairobi as the beginning of a more inclusive and balanced relationship between Africa and Europe, centered on shared growth, youth participation and economic transformation.

Speaking ahead of the gathering, Arnaud Suquet, French Ambassador to Kenya, said the summit represents a shift away from traditional diplomacy toward broader partnerships involving civil society, the private sector and young people.

“The ‘Africa Forward’ summit represents a transformative vision for building a common future between France, Africa, and our African partners,” Suquet said.

“This summit is not reserved solely for Heads of State and Government; it is a platform designed for the youth, civil society, and the private sector.”

The French envoy said Paris sees Kenya as a critical economic and diplomatic partner within Africa, particularly because of its support for multilateralism and international law.

He noted that France supports stronger African representation in global decision-making forums and views the Nairobi summit as an opportunity to amplify Africa’s voice internationally.

“We believe it is essential for Africa to have a powerful and resonant voice in international forums,” Suquet said.

Economic cooperation is expected to dominate parts of the summit discussions, especially in health manufacturing, energy, trade and creative industries.

France says it is particularly interested in supporting advanced manufacturing sectors in Africa, including pharmaceutical production, to reduce dependence on imported medical commodities.

Suquet also highlighted efforts to deepen trade ties through partnerships supporting Kenyan exports such as premium tea from Murang’a County to European markets.

The summit will also spotlight Africa’s cultural and sports industries as emerging economic sectors capable of creating jobs and attracting investment.

“We must prioritize listening to the voices of the youth, ensuring that their perspectives actively shape the structure of the summit to create genuine opportunities within the creative sector,” the ambassador said.

He cited collaborations involving Canal+ and MultiChoice as examples of partnerships that could help mobilise investment and strengthen Africa’s content creation ecosystem.

Energy cooperation is another key pillar of the France-Kenya partnership expected to feature at the summit.

Suquet said France is keen to support Kenya’s long-term energy transition, including discussions around nuclear energy development, while also learning from Kenya’s globally recognised geothermal expertise led by KenGen.

Among the projects expected to be discussed is a new “Command Control Center” initiative aimed at improving grid resilience and reducing blackouts.

Meanwhile, Sing’Oei said Kenya remains committed to decarbonisation, noting that more than 90 per cent of the country’s electricity already comes from green sources.

However, he added that Kenya is also considering nuclear energy as part of its future energy mix to support industrialisation and long-term economic growth.

“Our partnership with France is not just about power; it is about essential technology transfer and building the capacity of our own nuclear agencies,” Sing’Oei said.

Read: Kenya Positions Itself as Africa’s Diplomatic Bridge Ahead of France-Africa Summit

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