Time flies with great content! Renew in to keep enjoying all our premium content.
Prime
France uses summit to rebuild African influence after Francophone setback
Kenya's President William Ruto (right) shakes hands with French President Emmanuel Macron during his state visit, ahead of the Africa Forward Summit 2026, at the State House in Nairobi, Kenya on May 10, 2026.
France is seeking to reset its relationship with Africa through Kenya and the wider Anglophone African bloc, signalling a shift away from the military- and aid-driven approach that defined its engagement with Francophone Africa.
Paris has indicated it is now pursuing a strategy centred on investment, technology, education and private-sector partnerships as it seeks to rebuild influence across the continent.
