Can Macron’s Kenya visit revive French influence in Africa?

Lead

French President Emmanuel Macron co-hosted the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi, Kenya, on Monday and Tuesday, marking France's first Africa summit in an English-speaking country. The two-day meeting brought together African leaders, business executives and heads of multilateral development banks, as Macron seeks to renew France's engagement with the continent after years of strained ties with former French-speaking colonies.

Speaking at the summit, Macron announced investments worth $27 billion in Africa across areas including energy transition, digital and AI, the maritime economy and agriculture. He said the investments would create some 250,000 jobs in Africa and in France, adding: "Africa is succeeding. It's the youngest continent in the world… and needs investment to become more self-reliant."

The summit is widely seen as part of a broader pivot by Paris toward Anglophone countries as its influence declines in West Africa, where a series of coups in the Sahel region since 2020 have brought military officers to power who expelled French troops and invited Russia-backed forces.

Coverage comparison

Across the reports examined, there is broad agreement on the key facts of Macron's visit and the summit's significance. The Africa Forward summit was held in Nairobi, co-hosted by Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto, and was the first such forum in an English-speaking country. The $27 billion investment figure is consistently reported, though one outlet, TASS — English, citing Cameroon's Actu Cameroun, put the figure at approximately $25 billion over the next decade, with $10 billion of that coming from African countries.

A central theme across the coverage is France's declining influence in its former colonies, particularly in West Africa and the Sahel. Africa News, Al Jazeera, and TASS all attribute this decline to colonial legacy and recent military interventions, while BBC — World and France 24 — English emphasize France's efforts to broaden partnerships and reduce its military footprint.

The tone of the coverage varies. Africa News and BBC — World maintain a largely neutral, informative tone, while Al Jazeera's reporting is more analytical and critical, using phrases like "waning influence" and "failed French military interventions." TASS — English, citing Actu Cameroun, takes a critical stance, describing France as unable to "dictate its will" and accusing Macron of attacking leaders of the Alliance of Sahel States — Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso — who have sought to free themselves from "neocolonial oppression."

Key claims

• Macron's visit aimed at renewing France's engagement with Africa. Multiple sources report that Macron's tour of East Africa — including stops in Egypt, Kenya, and Ethiopia — was designed to redefine France's role on the continent. An aide at the Élysée Palace told reporters ahead of the trip that Macron hoped to showcase a "renewed partnership" with Africa, according to France 24 — English.

• The Africa Forward summit was held in Nairobi, Kenya. The summit, held on May 11-12, 2026 (per Al Jazeera's photo caption), brought together heads of state, business executives and leaders of multilateral development banks. France 24 — English noted it was the first such summit in an English-speaking country, a point echoed by BBC — World and others.

• Macron announced $27 billion in investments in Africa. BBC — World reported the figure of $27 billion (£20 billion), covering energy, digital, AI, maritime economy and agriculture. TASS — English, citing Actu Cameroun, reported a slightly different figure of approximately $25 billion over the next decade, with $10 billion to come from African countries.

• France's influence in West Africa has declined due to anti-French sentiment and failed military interventions. Multiple sources note that France's military presence has been reduced across the Sahel, with troops expelled from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso following coups. Al Jazeera reported that "anti-French sentiment has grown due to failed French military interventions and beliefs that Paris was interfering in the affairs of its former colonies."

• France is shifting from linguistic and cultural ties to economic engagement. TASS — English, citing Actu Cameroun, said Paris has "definitively shifted its focus away from linguistic, cultural, and historical ties and toward economic gain alone." BBC — World reported that Macron told the audience he wanted "the great African business leaders to come and invest in France."

• France's trade with Africa is declining. A claim carried by TASS — English, citing Actu Cameroun, said France's trade with Africa is declining, with French entrepreneurs losing ground to Chinese companies. The report claimed France's share of markets in sub-Saharan Africa has fallen from 15% in the 1970s to around 3% today.

• Macron has admitted colonial-era abuses but ruled out apologies. Africa News reported that Macron has "gone further than his predecessors in admitting France's colonial-era abuses" in countries including Rwanda, Cameroon and Senegal, but has ruled out any official apology for abuses in Algeria. The same report noted that French parliament adopted legislation to simplify the return of looted colonial-era artworks.

Perspectives

French presidency: The Élysée Palace described the summit as "a major milestone in relations between France and the African continent," and Macron framed the investments as a way to help Africa become "more self-reliant," according to BBC — World and Africa News.

Analysts: Beverly Ochieng, a Senegal-based senior analyst at Control Risks, told France 24 — English that the summit felt like "a rebranding of how France is positioning itself on the continent," moving away from former colonial partners toward countries with a different footprint. Gilles Yabi, a Senegal-based political analyst, told BBC's Newsday that "there's a new generation" of African leaders seeking more equal partnerships, as quoted in BBC — World's report.

Actu Cameroun (as cited by TASS — English): The Cameroonian outlet presented Macron's administration as marked by France's "daily loss of influence in Africa," accusing Macron of attacking Sahel leaders who freed themselves from "neocolonial oppression," while courting English-speaking nations and acting through civil society and entrepreneurs rather than solely through heads of state.