Following two days of diplomatic and economic discussions in Nairobi, the Africa Forward 2026 summit concluded at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre. Thirty-five African heads of state and government, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron and representatives from several international institutions, took part in this meeting dedicated to investment, energy, innovation and global financial reform.
The Africa Forward 2026 summit concluded in Nairobi with the adoption of the Nairobi Declaration, a framework document setting out the shared priorities between Africa and France across seven strategic areas: energy transition, green industrialisation, sustainable agriculture, artificial intelligence, health, the blue economy and security. 35 heads of state and government, as well as the leaders of major international financial institutions, took part in this diplomatic gathering held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC).
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William Ruto, President of the Republic – Kenya
A total of eleven bilateral agreements and economic partnerships were signed on the sidelines of the summit between Kenya, France and a number of institutional and private-sector stakeholders. According to the Kenyan authorities, these commitments represent nearly 150 billion Kenyan shillings of investment in the energy, infrastructure, transport and digital technology sectors. Discussions also focused on mobilising new funding for African projects and reforming the international financial architecture.
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Emmanuel Macron, President of the Republic – France
The event brought together more than 6,000 participants from governments, the private sector, financial institutions and civil society. Around 2,000 African and French business leaders made a number of investment announcements during the proceedings. The organisers emphasised an approach based on “equal-footing” partnerships and on translating political commitments into concrete projects.
