Accused of neo-colonial meddling in many African countries where it has traditionally had close ties, France is broadening its horizons by co-hosting a summit of African leaders in English-speaking Kenya for the first time.

Speaking at the Africa Forward Summit in the capital Nairobi on Tuesday, French President Emmanuel Macron repeatedly spoke of "co-investment" and "equal footing partnerships" as he described shared challenges, including security, economic dependence and geopolitical competition.

Kenya's President William Ruto, who is co-hosting the two-day summit, shared his sentiments, adding that Africa must help shape the emerging global order rather than remain on its margins.

Macron has announced investments worth $27bn (£20bn) in Africa in areas such as energy transition, digital and AI, the maritime economy and agriculture.

"Africa is succeeding. It's the youngest continent in the world… and needs investment to become more self-reliant," he said on Monday, adding that this would create some 250,000 jobs in Africa, and in France.

Many people came out to take photos with the French president

"We are not simply here to come and invest on the African continent alongside you - we need the great African business leaders to come and invest in France," he told the audience at Nairobi's convention centre, reports the AFP news agency.

The summit is aimed at broadening Paris's partnerships and making investment deals on the continent against a backdrop of rising anti-French sentiment and diminishing power in its former colonies, especially in West Africa. This reflects a step-change in how Paris thinks of its relationships with Africa.

For many years after independence in the 1960s, France maintained close economic, political and security ties in many of its former colonies, leading to widespread accusations that little had changed.

And French presidents over the years have held regular summits with African leaders - either in France or French-speaking Africa - until now.

Gilles Yabi, a Senegal-based political analyst focusing on relations between France and Africa, told the BBC's Newsday programme: "There's a new generation of Africans who… want to turn the page on colonialism and post-colonial influence."

Kenya's Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi called it an "opportunity for Africa to start speaking as one".

"Having this summit being held in a non-French-speaking African country on the continent, to me, is a very, very big message that we should not be looking at engagements on the basis of the official languages that are spoken in those countries," he told the BBC.

More than 30 African leaders attended the summit as well as the UN chief

He said it was an "opportune moment" for Kenya and France to break away from the "more or less artificial" linguistic barriers stemming from countries being "branded" as Anglophone, Francophone or Lusophone, which "deters proper integration".

"Kenya has been a pivotal country on matters of diplomacy and also conventions," Mudavadi added, explaining that the summit will cover peace and security, and then focus "largely on the economic partnership that can be developed between Africa and the rest of the world, including France".

Last week, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei similarly spoke of Kenya's key diplomatic role, describing the nation as a "bridge-builder" in Africa.

He told the BBC that as a former British colony, Kenya's relationship with France was different because it was not shaped by the same colonial history as West African countries.

The military leaders who have seized power in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger - all former French colonies - have expelled French troops who were helping in the fight against an Islamist insurgency in the region and instead turned towards Russia for assistance.

Ahead of the summit, Macron defended France's significantly reduced military presence on the continent, saying French troops leaving "wasn't a humiliation but a logical response to a given situation".

"When our presence was no longer wanted after the coups, we left," he explained. "I'm convinced that we must let these states and their leaders, even putschists, chart their own course."

None of the leaders of the three countries are attending the summit.

Djibouti, at the mouth of the Red Sea, now hosts France's last remaining operational military base in Africa.

He praised the continent for leading efforts to reform global finance, climate policy and international governance.

"This is not a continent waiting for solutions," he said. "This is a continent producing them."

Guterres also denounced global lending systems, debt burdens and international credit rating structures that he said unfairly disadvantaged African economies.

The summit has seen delegates travel to various sites in Nairobi for speeches and events.

During one of Monday's engagements, the French president interrupted a speaker on stage to ask the audience to remain quiet.

"There is a total lack of respect," Macron told attendees, before urging those holding side discussions to continue them outside or in bilateral meeting rooms.

However, some social media users saw this as exactly the kind of colonial lecturing he said that France had moved away from, while others argued he was within his rights.

More than 30 African leaders are attending the summit, along with Africa's richest man, the Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote, other top African industrial leaders and representatives from major French firms.

"The world is becoming more brutal and more fragmented, hence why we need more international cooperation," Arnaud Suquet, France's ambassador to Kenya, told Kenyan channel NTV on Friday.

But, he added, it is not as if "France has just discovered Kenya yesterday", pointing out that his country is already its fourth largest source of foreign investment.

The Carrefour supermarkets dotted through Nairobi's more affluent neighbourhoods are where people can experience France's influence.

Shoppers push trolleys past shelves stocked with imported French cheeses, wines, cosmetics and bakery products alongside local Kenyan brands.

For many younger Kenyans, France is associated as much with retail, fashion and food as it is with geopolitics - a stark contrast with the sentiment in many of its former colonies.

France is Kenya's fourth largest source of investment

Beverly Ochieng, a senior analyst at Control Risks, said France was "repositioning and softening its presence and reputation".

Rather than relying mainly on military influence, she believes that France is increasingly using business, investment and soft power to maintain its relevance on the continent.

"France is looking to leverage already recognisable commercial brands, cultural presence and its weight in the European Union to mobilise economic initiatives," she explained.

Meanwhile, Kenya's government is looking for investment in infrastructure, renewable energy and technology. French companies are already involved in transport, retail and energy projects in the country, and officials hope the gathering will unlock even more investment.

There are also early conversations around nuclear energy co-operation as Kenya looks to diversify its long-term energy strategy.

Last month, Nairobi approved a five-year renewable defence agreement with France, including an array of operations such as intelligence sharing, maritime security in the Indian Ocean and disaster response.

On Tuesday, Guterres noted that Africa contributes relatively little to global emissions but suffers disproportionately from climate change, including droughts, floods and food insecurity.

He pointed to the continent's vast renewable energy potential, particularly solar power, while criticising the lack of investment flowing into African clean energy projects.

Kenyan Foreign Minister Mudavadi said the two nations were also discussing how to develop and utilise new areas.

 

"This is the whole area of focus, and it is telling that it is called the Africa Forward Summit.

"It's not about wanting to dig and look into the past."