France and Africa aim to reshape relations for 21st-century challenges
via The Reporter Ethiopia3 min read
The "Africa Forward Summit: Partnerships between Africa and France for Innovation and Growth," co-organized by France and Kenya in Nairobi on May 11–12, 2026, aims to redefine relations between France and Africa. This renewed partnership, building on the 2021 Montpellier Africa-France Summit, seeks balanced and mutually beneficial cooperation, emphasizing youth, civil society, and African diasporas. The choice of Kenya, a non-French-speaking country, highlights a broader engagement across the continent. The summit will explore new cooperation areas like heritage, culture, and sport, fostering direct partnerships, especially among youth and diasporas. Presidents Emmanuel Macron and William Ruto are focusing on the economic dimension, with a business forum promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, and youth to address continental challenges. This re-foundation is also a strategic necessity, with France and Africa sharing a common agenda on global issues and a commitment to international law and multilateralism, as seen at the EU-AU Summit in Luanda in November 2025. The Nairobi summit will advocate for better African representation in global governance, including the UN Security Council and the international financial system. Concrete priorities include energy transition, sustainable agriculture, artificial intelligence, the blue economy, and health, where French and Kenyan expertise can lead to sustainable solutions. The summit also aims to boost mutual investment and finance ta
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Reporter Ethiopia.
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