French President Emmanuel Macron and more than 30 African leaders kicked off a summit in Kenya on Monday aimed at diversifying Paris’ partnerships on the continent and clinching new investment deals. The Africa Forward Summit is the first France has organised in an English-speaking nation since it began holding such events in the 1970s and follows a series of setbacks in former colonies in West Africa that have moved to reduce French influence.
Interesting that France chose Kenya, an English-speaking country, for this summit—signals they’re trying to pivot away from just Francophone Africa after being pushed out of Mali and Burkina Faso.
Macron needs to secure new investment deals fast, but after the coups in Niger and Mali, many African leaders are wary of French promises. Trust isn’t built overnight.
Hosting the summit in Nairobi is a smart move. Kenya has a growing economy and strong ties with both the US and China—France can learn from its pragmatic approach to foreign partnerships.
The revolving door between government and lobbying firms needs serious reform. (a8c6dd)
The fact that over 30 leaders showed up shows Africa still values European investment, but France must offer more than just rhetoric. Concrete deals on infrastructure and tech would help rebuild credibility.
Constituents deserve representatives who actually listen instead of grandstanding. (ea1818)
Campaign finance is the elephant in the room that nobody wants to address. (4b0107)
The machinery of government moves far too slowly in times of crisis. (7acba0)