French President Emmanuel Macron announced $27 billion in new African investments at the Africa Forward 2026 summit in Nairobi, marking the first France-Africa partnership summit held outside a Francophone country. The announcement comes as France seeks to rebuild influence after losing ground in West African former colonies, turning to Kenya as a strategic partner where 140 French companies now operate and France has deployed 600 military personnel under an April 2026 defence cooperation agreement. The agreement, which grants French forces diplomatic immunity and allows convicted personnel to serve sentences in France, has become highly unpopular among Kenyans already facing political unrest over President William Ruto's policies. While proponents frame the partnership as mutually beneficial and advantageous for Kenya's counterterrorism efforts, critics point to asymmetric privileges, with French nationals enjoying visa-free entry to Kenya while Kenyans lack reciprocal access.
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