African countries push for fair economic partnerships at Africa Forward Summit

African countries hope to use the opportunity to push for partnerships that create jobs, industries and local value instead of simply exporting raw commodities. 

The summit is expected to bring together African and French leaders, investors and businesses, for talks centred on trade, investment and industrial growth. 

The two-day summit, co-hosted by President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron, comes at a time when many African economies are under pressure to create jobs for a rapidly growing young population while reducing dependence on commodity exports.

At the centre of the discussions will be how Africa can attract more investment into sectors such as manufacturing, energy, infrastructure, technology and logistics while ensuring more economic value remains within the continent. 

Business France says about 3,000 participants are expected to attend the summit, including more than 30 heads of state, investors, entrepreneurs and business leaders. 

“Our bilateral relationships between France and Kenya and France and other African countries need to have a unique target, preserve jobs in France as well as in Kenya,” said Louis Margueritte, Global CEO, Business France.

Kenya is expected to play a central role in the discussions, particularly because of its growing technology sector and its position as a regional business hub. 

According to Business France, more than 140 French companies currently operate in Kenya, supporting about 36,000 direct jobs. 

Tech and innovation are also expected to feature prominently during the summit, especially as African startups continue attracting investment in sectors such as fintech, digital health, logistics and climate technology. 

Over 800 business meetings are planned during the forum as companies seek partnerships and investment opportunities across African markets.

“Out of the 800 b2b and B2G meetings that we are organising for the French companies that are coming and the Kenyan companies that are here, they are mostly with African countries, so you find that there is a lot of intra-African exchange set to take place in this summit, said Robert Munene, Senior Trade Adviser, Business France.

But even before the summit begins, civil society organizations across Africa are pushing leaders to focus more on accountability and fairer economic partnerships. 

More than 100 organisations say they will submit a joint white paper to heads of state attending the summit, calling for stronger protection of Africa’s natural resources from foreign exploitation, expanded trade between African countries and governance reforms with clear timelines for implementation.

A white paper that sort of articulates the broader vision for the continent,” said Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'Oei.

“All computers, all laptops, all phones have minerals that come from Africa, yet the Africans themselves are not reaping the benefits of it. So how does technology as we digitize as we put in digital public infrastructure, how does that ensure that lives are transformed here in Africa?” said Demas Kiprono, Executive Director, International Commission of Jurists

The summit will run in Nairobi on May 11 and 12.