France Strengthens Ties with Africa at Nairobi Summit

At the 2026 Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness, Nicola Forissi, emphasized France's commitment to building mutually beneficial relationships with African nations. The summit, which took place from Monday to Tuesday, exceeded attendance expectations with between 3,000 to 4,000 participants, including 7,000 attendees at the business forum.

Forissi described the event as a success and reiterated France's dedication to collaborating with African youth to create a sustainable legacy for future generations. Notably, Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Industries, spoke at the summit, discussing the expansion of Dangote Petroleum Refinery from 650,000 barrels per day to 1.4 million barrels per day by 2028.

He addressed the challenges faced by African farmers, particularly the inability to afford necessary farm inputs due to heavy government debt. The summit also featured French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto, with a new report announcing a €23 billion investment package aimed at reshaping the France-Africa economic relationship.