Nairobi, Kenya – April 24, 2026 – Kenya and France are building a new wave of high-impact strategic partnerships across Africa, just weeks before the Africa Forward Summit (AFS) 2026. The shift, according to officials, is from dialogue to delivery, with the Summit positioning itself as a deal-making platform rather than another talking shop.
Expected to draw between 1,500 and 2,000 global CEOs and business leaders, the Africa Forward Summit 2026 is shaping up to be one of the largest Africa–Europe investment gatherings in recent years. The focus will be on sectors critical to Africa’s long-term growth: artificial intelligence and digital innovation, nuclear and renewable energy, health manufacturing, infrastructure, transport, agriculture, and the creative economy.
Speaking during a high-level engagement with the Kenya Editors Guild, Dr. Korir Sing’Oei, Principal Secretary for the State Department for Foreign Affairs, emphasized the need to reframe the Africa–France relationship. He argued that old stereotypes and barriers have long limited innovation, constrained partnerships, and slowed development. “France is looking for a new relationship with Africa, one that is grounded in mutual respect, shared opportunity, and practical outcomes,” Sing’Oei said. “We must consciously move away from pre-written narratives that have historically defined this relationship. Africa Forward Summit is about breaking these barriers and focusing on solutions.”
Reinforcing the economic weight behind the Summit, Arnaud Suquet, France’s Ambassador to Kenya, Somalia, and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, highlighted France’s growing commitment. “Over the past decade, French investments in Kenya have grown significantly, particularly in energy, infrastructure, and services,” Suquet said. “Today, more than 140 French enterprises operate in Kenya. In the past decade, France has invested an estimated €1.8 billion in Kenya in sectors of employability and sustainability for a better future.”
France now ranks as Kenya’s fourth largest foreign direct investment partner and the leading bilateral partner in Kenya’s energy sector. According to Suquet, global convergence on climate action, digital transformation, and sustainable development is constantly creating new opportunities for deeper Africa–France collaboration.
The Summit, scheduled for May 12 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, is not a government-only affair. Both leaders stressed that private sector capital will be central to delivering real outcomes. “Governments alone cannot drive economic transformation at the scale Africa requires,” noted Dr. Sing’Oei. “Private sector participation at the Africa Forward Summit is not complementary but quite essential if we are to deliver on the commitments.”
A series of high-impact side events will precede and accompany the main Summit, most of them held at the University of Nairobi on May 11. These include the Africa Forward Literary Festival on May 8, a Civil Society Forum on May 10, a Youth & Innovation Engagement on May 11, and two high-level Creative Industries and Sports Engagements on the same day. The Summit will culminate in the “Africa Forward Le Concert,” a flagship cultural diplomacy event at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani Indoor Arena, featuring leading African artists such as Youssou N’Dour, Fally Ipupa, Yemi Alade, Nomcebo Zikode, Savara, and Jose Chameleone.
The engagement with the Kenya Editors Guild also underscored the critical role of media in shaping public understanding and ensuring accountability. Editors were briefed on the Summit’s outcomes-driven approach, the pipeline of expected deals, and the importance of balanced, evidence-based reporting.
The Africa Forward Summit 2026 marks the first Africa–France Summit of its kind hosted in Anglophone Africa, underscoring Kenya’s growing role as a continental convenor of global dialogue and investment. The event is expected to culminate in a Nairobi Declaration and a series of action-oriented deliverables. Officials say certain conclusions from the Summit will provide substance at the G7 Summit, set to take place in Evian-les-Bains, France, in June, in which Kenya will also participate.
About the Africa Forward Summit (AFS) 2026
The Africa Forward Summit is a joint Africa–France initiative, co-convened by the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of France with the endorsement of the African Union. Taking place in Nairobi on 11–12 May 2026, it represents a structural shift from a donor-recipient dynamic to a partnership grounded in innovation, parity, and shared implementation. The Summit prioritizes African agency and aims to serve as a catalyst for sustainable development and inclusive prosperity. #AfricaForward
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