The recently concluded Africa Forward Summit sought to reposition Africa at the centre of global growth through a new model of partnership based on co-investment, sovereign equality and African-led financial solutions. Held in Nairobi under the joint leadership of President William Ruto and President Emmanuel Macron, the Summit brought together Heads of State and Government, multilateral institutions and global investors. Key issues discussed were the reform of the international financial architecture, the energy transition, and green industrialisation. French President Emmanuel Macron announced a €23 billion ($27 billion) investment package. A central theme of the summit was Macron’s effort to position Europe – and France in particular – as a more reliable trade and investment partner than China or the United States. Speaking alongside Ruto at the business forum, Macron framed France and Africa as sharing a “common fight” to build strategic autonomy against both American and Chinese dominance. “If we build it together, we will be much stronger,” he said.
