Macron Pushes Fresh Africa Investment Drive at Kenya Summit

Emmanuel Macron has called for increased investment in Africa, saying the continent requires stronger economic partnerships rather than dependence on aid to achieve long-term sovereignty and development.

Macron made the remarks in Nairobi during the Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth Summit, co-hosted with Kenyan President William Ruto.

Speaking at the University of Nairobi, the French president said Africa’s future depended on expanding investment flows capable of driving industrial growth, innovation and economic independence.

“Africa needs investment to become more sovereign,” Macron said, adding that economic opportunities should replace aid-based relationships.

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The French leader acknowledged that European countries historically approached African relations from a position of dominance but argued that the global environment had changed.

“Previously European chiefs would lecture African leaders on what they needed, but this is no longer what Africa needs or wants to hear,” he said.

Macron also stated that Europe no longer possessed the financial capacity to continue traditional aid-driven approaches at previous levels.

“That’s just as well, because we, too, no longer have the means, if we’re being honest,” he added.

Ahead of the summit, Macron granted interviews to Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report, where he revisited France’s colonial legacy in Africa while urging African governments to strengthen governance systems.

According to him, colonialism alone should not bear responsibility for present-day governance and development challenges facing African countries.

“We must not exonerate from all responsibility the seven decades that followed independence,” Macron said.

The French president defended Europe’s role on the continent, arguing that European nations were not acting as exploitative powers in Africa.

“Europe defends the international order, effective multilateralism, the rule of law, free and open trade,” he stated.

Macron contrasted Europe’s approach with the growing rivalry between the United States and China, which he said was undermining global trade rules.

He also criticised China’s handling of critical minerals and rare earth resources, accusing Beijing of creating economic dependencies through resource processing strategies.

“China operates according to a predatory logic: it does the processing at home and creates dependencies with the rest of the world,” he said.

Macron argued that Europe was instead pursuing what he described as “a strategy of autonomy” for both Africa and Europe through partnerships focused on mutual economic development.

He said reforming the international financial system remained central to unlocking Africa’s growth potential, especially by mobilising private sector investment.

According to him, a stronger framework of financial guarantees would help attract global capital into African economies.

During the summit, France and Kenya signed several bilateral agreements, including cooperation deals in the energy sector.

Macron also addressed the security situation in the Sahel region, where France recently withdrew troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger following military coups in those countries between 2020 and 2023.

He defended France’s military operations in the region, insisting that Paris intervened at the request of African governments to combat jihadist insurgencies.

“When our presence was no longer wanted after the coups, we left. That wasn’t a humiliation but a logical response to a given situation,” Macron said.

The French president expressed optimism that the region would eventually return to democratic governance.

“A new era is about to start. The Sahel will one day regain normal governance with democratically elected leaders who genuinely care about their people,” he added.

The summit forms part of France’s broader effort to rebuild ties with African countries after years of strained relations and declining political influence across parts of West and Central Africa.