
French President Emmanuel Macron will attend France's first summit with English-speaking African countries in Nairobi, Kenya, from May 11-12, 2026, under the theme "Africa Forward." French Ambassador Alex Lameke and Kenyan Ambassador Galma Boru outlined the agenda, which includes restitution, global governance, and reform of international institutions to enhance African representation. Lameke noted France's efforts in restitution, citing the establishment of historian committees in Rwanda, Senegal, and Cameroon, and past restitutions to Benin, Senegal, Madagascar, and Côte d'Ivoire. He also highlighted France's support for UN Security Council reform, advocating for two permanent seats and more elected members for African countries. Ambassador Boru described the summit as a milestone, emphasizing a shift towards innovation, investment, and implementation-driven cooperation. The summit will address global challenges such as climate change, technological disruption, food security, and economic reform, with priorities including energy transition, financial reform, digital innovation, sustainable agriculture, and stronger health systems.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Reporter Ethiopia.
Must ReadThe United States has implemented a second round of sanctions against Sudan, citing allegations that the Sudanese Armed Forces SAF used prohibited chemical weapons during the country's civil war. These sanctions, effective July 20, expand export controls, impose financial and aviation restrictions, and require the US to oppose international loans and financial aid to Sudan. The US Department of State stated these measures are based on a "rigorous and independent national technical assessment" concluding that chemical weapons were used in the conflict between the SAF and the Rapid Support Forces RSF, which began on April 15, 2023. US Ambassador Nicole Shampaine, addressing the OPCW Executive Council, called for Sudan to grant "immediate, transparent and unrestricted access" for an investigation and rejected Sudan's plan for a national committee, arguing that domestic inquiries cannot replace independent international verification. Chad also warned that any chemical weapons use in Sudan would threaten regional security. Sudan, a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention since 1999, has dismissed the US allegations and sanctions as politically motivated and lacking evidence, asserting it does not produce, possess, or use chemical weapons. The Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation "categorically rejects the unilateral and illegal sanctions." US officials stated the sanctions target those responsible for alleged violations, not the Sudanese populati
Must ReadEthiopia's agricultural productivity is being hampered by security issues, low motivation among extension workers, severe soil erosion, overgrazing, climate change, high input costs, machinery breakdowns, fuel shortages, and youth migration, according to the Sasakawa Africa Association SAA. The SAA, founded in 1986, held its annual stakeholders’ workshop in Adama, where it announced investments of over two billion Birr in smallholder farmers across 300 districts in Ethiopia over the past five years. SAA Ethiopia Country Director Fentahun Mengistu stated this funding aimed to boost crop productivity, ensure food security, and improve farmers' livelihoods. The association distributed significant amounts of seeds and fertilizers, and trained over 63,000 farmers. Coordinator Melese Liyehe noted a strong focus on regenerative agriculture, reaching nearly 265,000 farmers directly and over 1.5 million indirectly. Additionally, more than 182,000 citizens benefited from nutrition-sensitive agriculture. Despite these achievements, security issues and conflicts significantly hindered agricultural extension services. SAA has launched a new strategic plan for 2026–2030 with a projected budget of 2.5 billion Birr, aiming to continue boosting crop productivity, ensuring food security, and improving smallholder farmers’ livelihoods. Funding will be mobilized with partners like the Nippon Foundation, the African Development Bank, and AGRA. The new phase will prioritize climate-smart agricultu
Must ReadA 2026 report, "The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World," indicates that global hunger decreased for the third year in a row in 2025, though progress is uneven. The report, co-authored by the FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO, found that 7.8 percent of the global population, or 645 million people, experienced hunger in 2025, a reduction from 8.1 percent in 2024. Despite this, Africa continues to bear the highest burden, with 309 million hungry people in 2025, representing 20.0 percent of its population. Globally, 25.8 percent of the population, or 2.1 billion people, faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2025. The report also highlights that 66.6 percent of Africa's population could not afford a healthy diet in 2025, with the global average cost of a healthy diet reaching 4.28 purchasing power parity dollars per person per day. UN agency heads emphasized the need for sustained action, investment, and stronger policies to address hunger and improve access to affordable, nutritious diets. They noted that conflicts and climate-related shocks continue to increase food costs and limit access to nutritious diets. Projections suggest that 510 million to 520 million people could face hunger in 2030 due to the conflict in the Middle East, which has led to higher energy and fertilizer prices and a lowered global growth forecast by the IMF.