Written by: Hussein Ahmed

The Africa Forward Summit will be held in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, on May 11 and 12, 2026, in an event seen as a new milestone in the relationship between France and the African continent, amid rapid political and economic transformations in the region.

The summit is being jointly organized by Kenya and France under the theme “Partnerships for Innovation and Growth,” with broad participation from African leaders, international organizations and global financial institutions.

The summit is of particular importance as it is the first time an African-French summit has been held in an English-speaking African country, a move that reflects Paris’s efforts to expand its presence on the continent beyond the traditional circle of French-speaking countries.

Egypt's participation in the Africa Forward Summit

The summit is expected to be attended by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, along with Kenyan President William Ruto, French President Emmanuel Macron, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and representatives of the European Union and international development banks, while countries whose membership is currently suspended by the African Union have been excluded.

The summit focuses primarily on economic issues and development financing, as it seeks to build more balanced partnerships between Africa and its international partners, contributing to strengthening self-sufficiency, diversifying sources of cooperation, and reducing economic dependence on foreign countries.

The summit will also discuss accelerating investments in several vital sectors, including food security, healthcare systems, digital transformation, and energy, as well as supporting the green economy and modern infrastructure. These discussions come amid growing challenges facing the continent, related to rising inflation and debt rates and the repercussions of climate change.

The issue of African representation within international institutions is prominently featured on the summit's agenda, with France affirming its support for the continent's demands for two permanent seats on the UN Security Council, as part of calls to reform the international system and grant African countries a greater role in global decision-making.

The summit also devotes a large space to youth, entrepreneurs and innovators, with the aim of involving them in shaping the future of economic and technological partnerships, especially with the rising role of the digital economy and artificial intelligence in Africa.

The summit also reflects a shift in French policy towards the continent, through reducing the traditional military presence and focusing on training and intelligence cooperation, along with opening up to memory issues and restoring African cultural property.