France seeks to move beyond colonial ties by meeting African leaders in Kenya
Key takeaways
- It's the youngest continent in the world… and needs investment to become more self-reliant," he said, adding that this would create some 250,000 jobs in Africa, and in France.
- 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.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Akisa Wandera,BBC Africa, Nairobiand Hafsa Khalil AFP via Getty Images The French president (L) is in Kenya, where he is co-hosting the Africa Forward Summit alongside his Kenyan counterpart (R)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 Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron 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, adding that this would create some 250,000 jobs in Africa, and in France.