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AMA, Business

Kenya and France pave the way for future-oriented partnerships for innovation and growth ahead of the Africa Forward Summit 2026

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NAIROBI, Kenya, 23 April 2026 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/ – Kenya and France have signalled a new wave of high-impact strategic partnerships across Africa, as preparations intensify for the Africa Forward Summit (AFS) 2026, following a highlevel engagement with the Kenya Editors Guild.

In a decisive shift from dialogue to delivery, the Summit is positioning itself as a deal-making platform, expected to step up mutual investment and unlock partnerships across AI and digital innovation, nuclear and renewable energy, health manufacturing, infrastructure, transport, agriculture, and the creative economy – sectors critical to Africa’s long-term growth.

With between 1,500 to 2,000 global CEOs and business leaders anticipated, the Africa Forward Summit 2026 is emerging as one of the largest Africa–Europe investment convenings in recent years. Speaking during the engagement, Dr. Korir Sing’Oei, Principal Secretary, State Department for Foreign Affairs emphasized the need to re-frame the Africa–France relationship in place of old stereotypes and barriers to progress that can limit innovation, constrain partnerships, and ultimately slow down development.

“France is looking for a new relationship with Africa, one that is grounded in mutual respect, shared opportunity, and practical outcomes. We must consciously move away from pre-written narratives that have historically defined this relationship. Africa Forward Summit is about breaking these barriers and focusing on solutions,” said Sing’Oei.

The Summit will spotlight artificial intelligence and digital transformation ecosystems,. Other key areas include health sector investments, including local manufacturing of essential commodities, creative and cultural industries as economic drivers and sports as an emerging frontier for investment and job creation.

Additionally, energy transition and infrastructure development alongside regional connectivity systems, agriculture and food systems transformation will feature in the high-level summit that is designed as a reset of Africa–France relations.

Reinforcing the economic weight behind the Summit, Arnaud Suquet, Ambassador of France to Kenya, Somalia, and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, highlighted France’s sustained commitment to Africa and Kenya.

“Over the past decade, French investments in Kenya have grown significantly, particularly in energy, infrastructure, and services. Today, more than 140 French enterprises operate in Kenya. In the past decade, France has invested an estimated €1.8 billion in Kenya in sectors of employability and sustainability for a better future.” Said Suquet.

France currently ranks as Kenya’s 4th largest foreign direct investment partner as well as the leading bilateral partner in Kenya’s energy sector. According to Suquet, global convergence around key issues such as climate action, digital transformation, and sustainable development are constantly creating new opportunities for deeper Africa–France collaboration.

Africa Forward Summit 2026 is not only a government-to-government (G2G) Summit, as the two leaders emphasized that private sector capital will be central to delivering the envisioned outcomes out of the Summit.

“Governments alone cannot drive economic transformation at the scale Africa requires, therefore private sector participation at the Africa Forward Summit is not complementary but quite essential if we are to deliver on the commitments”, noted Dr. Sing’oei.

The Summit scheduled for May 12, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) will be preceded and accompanied by a series of high-impact engagements designed to drive both policy and people-to-people connections, most of them being held at the University of Nairobi on May 11.

These include the Africa Forward Literary Festival on May 8, Civil Society Forum on May 10, a Youth & Innovation Engagement on May 11 and two high-level Creative Industries and Sports Engagement the same day. The Summit will culminate in the ‘Africa Forward Le Concert’, a flagship cultural diplomacy event at Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani Indoor Arena.

On the line up are leading African artists including Youssou N’Dour, Fally Ipupa, Yemi Alade, Nomcebo Zikode, Savara, and Jose Chameleone among others.

The engagement with the Kenya Editors Guild underscored the critical role of media in shaping public understanding and ensuring accountability. Editors were briefed on the Summit’s outcomes-driven approach, pipeline of expected deals and partnerships as well as the importance of balanced, evidence-based reporting.

Africa Forward Summit 2026 will mark the first Africa–France Summit of its kind hosted in Anglophone Africa, underscoring Kenya’s growing role as a continental convenor of global dialogue and investment. Africa Forward 2026 is expected to culminate in a Nairobi Declaration and a series of action-oriented deliverables, positioning the Summit as a turning point in Africa–France engagement, ahead of the G7 Summit that will be held in Evian-lesBains, France, in June. Certain conclusions of the Africa Forward Summit will provide substance at the G7 level, in which Kenya will participate.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Africa Forward

About the Africa Forward Summit (AFS) 2026
The Africa Forward Summit is a joint Africa–France initiative, co-convened by the Republic of Kenya and the Republic of France, with African Union endorsement. It takes place in Nairobi on 11–12 May 2026 and represents a structural shift in how Africa and France engage – from a donor-recipient dynamic to a partnership grounded in innovation, parity and shared implementation. It prioritizes African agency and serves as a catalyst for sustainable development and inclusive prosperity. #AfricaForward

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Lifestyle

Minnesota Shooting Arrest, Israel-Iran Conflict, G7 Kicks Off, Colorado Election Data

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An arrest has been made in the shooting of two Democratic Minnesota state lawmakers and their spouses, Israel and Iran are trading missile strikes with few signs of deescalation, President Trump has arrived at the G7 in Canada, and the Justice Department sent an unprecedented demand for election data to the state of Colorado.

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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Kevin Drew, Alex Leff, Roberta Rampton, Janaya Williams and Arezou Rezvani. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Claire Murashima and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

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Lifestyle

Minnesota Shooting Arrest, Israel-Iran Conflict, G7 Kicks Off, Colorado Election Data

Maravi Post Reporter

An arrest has been made in the shooting of two Democratic Minnesota state lawmakers and their spouses, Israel and Iran are trading missile strikes with few signs of deescalation, President Trump has arrived at the G7 in Canada, and the Justice Department sent an unprecedented demand for election data to the state of Colorado.

Want more comprehensive analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.

Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Kevin Drew, Alex Leff, Roberta Rampton, Janaya Williams and Arezou Rezvani. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Claire Murashima and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. And our technical director is Carleigh Strange.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Lifestyle

Biden At G7 Summit, Israel Hamas Negotiations, Microsoft Cybersecurity

Maravi Post Reporter

President Biden meets with leaders of the largest economies at the G7 Summit in Italy where they’ll discuss the world’s most pressing issues including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Mediators are working to close a ceasefire deal in Gaza after Hamas proposed amendments to the US backed proposal. And, Microsoft’s president is testifying before the House Homeland Security Committee as ProPublica publishes an investigation into the company’s security practices around 2020’s SolarWinds cyber hack.

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Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Roberta Rampton, Hannah Bloch, Alice Woelfle, and Mohamad ElBardicy.
It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Lindsay Totty.
Our technical director is Zac Coleman, with engineering support from Arthur Laurent.

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Business, Regional

Impact of G7’s multi-billion dollar plan on Africa’s infrastructure gap

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In late June 2022, it was announced at the G7 Summit in Germany that a USD 600 billion lending initiative, the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Initiative (PGII), would be launched to fund infrastructure projects in the developing world, with a particular focus on Africa.

The G7 countries – Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US) – explained the PGII would help address the infrastructure gap in developing countries.

The US

The US has recently renewed its focus on impact-building and financing strategic, long-term infrastructure projects in Africa, with the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) supporting infrastructure development on the continent. According to a 2020 report by McKinsey and Company – Solving Africa’s infrastructure paradox – the US accounts for 38% of global investors who have an appetite for African investment, by far the most of any country.

In 2021, the US launched a refreshed “Prosper Africa initiative”, focusing on improving reciprocal trade and investments that create jobs and build infrastructure between the two regions. In 2022, the US announced it would mobilise USD 200 billion over the next five years as part of the PGII, in the form of grants, financing and private sector investments. Some deals have already been announced, including, for example, a USD 2 billion solar energy project in Angola, and the building of multiple hospitals in Côte d’Ivoire.   

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The EU

In February 2022, the European Commission announced investment funding for Africa worth EUR 150 billion. The funding package is part of the EU Global Gateway Investment Scheme and is said to be in the form of EU combined member funds, member state investments and capital from investment banks.

In early 2020, the European Commission published its Comprehensive Strategy with Africa, outlining the region’s plans for its new, stronger relationship with the continent. The strategy document laid out five top priorities for the EU in Africa: the green transition and improving access to energy; digital transformation; sustainable growth and jobs; peace and governance; and migration and mobility.

The UK

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p class=”v1MsoNormal”>The UK is also making a strong play for influence, investment and trade with Africa, post-Brexit. Further to key summits in 2020 and 2021, finance is being redirected into Africa from the UK. In 2022, UK development finance institution (DFI), British International Investment (formerly CDC Group), announced it had exceeded its pledge to invest GBP 2 billion in Africa over the last two years.

The UK’s Global Infrastructure Programme helps partner countries (including in the African continent) to build capacity to develop major infrastructure projects, setting up infrastructure projects for success and paving the way for UK companies to support these projects.

Further, in November 2021, it was announced that the governments of South Africa, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, along with the European Union, were in negotiations to form a long-term Just Energy Transition Partnership. 

The partnership focuses on boosting the decarbonisation of the South African economy, with a commitment of USD 8.5 billion for first round financing. It is expected that 1-1.5 gigatonnes of emissions will be prevented over the next 20 years, assisting South Africa to accelerate its just transition. Discussions are also currently taking place to establish a similar partnership in Senegal.

African solutions

The African Development Bank noted in early 2022 that Africa’s infrastructure investment gap is estimated at more than USD 100 billion per year.

DFIs are increasingly anchoring the infrastructure ecosystem in Africa – serving a critical function for project finance as investment facilitator and a check on capital. DFIs can shoulder political risk and access government protections in a way that others cannot, enter markets others cannot and are uniquely capable of facilitating long-term lending. 

The large amount of capital needed to fill the infrastructure gap, however, means that DFIs cannot bridge it alone. Private equity, local and regional banks, debt finance and specialist infrastructure funds are primed to enter the market, and multi-finance and blended solutions are expected to grow in popularity as a way to de-risk deals.

The African Union’s 55 member states have stated that their primary funding needs include support in terms of safety and security on the continent, as well help in implementing the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) and the massive infrastructure investment it needs to be successful. 

The development of supporting infrastructure is key to boosting AfCFTA’s free trade potential, especially in terms of transportation, energy provision, internet access and data services, education and healthcare infrastructure projects.

Infrastructure projects in Africa now also have a heightened focus on improving Africa’s capacity for green, low-carbon and sustainable development, via, for example, clean energy, community healthcare and support, green transport, sustainable water, wildlife protection and low-carbon development projects.

Funding such projects comes with responsibility –  projects must not only be bankable and yield attractive returns, but must also be sustainable and provide tangible benefits to local economies and communities. All of Africa’s major partners have noted they will prioritise projects that commit to Environmental, Social and Governance principles, and access to capital for large infrastructure projects is likely to contain sustainability requirements.

That the focus of the PGII is on the sustainability and the social impact of these projects in Africa is further evidenced in the White House briefing room statement issued at the launch in June 2022, where it was stated that the PGII will “mobilize hundreds of billions of dollars and deliver quality, sustainable infrastructure that makes a difference in people’s lives around the world…”

Author: Michael Foundethakis, Baker McKenzie’s Global Head of Projects and Trade & Export Finance, and Africa Steering Committee Chair

Source: Africa Feeds