French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Nairobi ahead of the Africa Forward Summit, where he will join President William Ruto as co-host of the high-level event expected to bring together leaders from across Africa and beyond.
Macron landed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Sunday and was received by Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi. He was accompanied by Cabinet Secretary for Health Aden Duale and Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Geoffrey Ruku.
The Africa Forward Summit is expected to be one of the major diplomatic events in Nairobi this year. It will focus on strengthening cooperation between African nations and global partners, while creating new opportunities for economic growth and development.
This year’s summit is also notable because it is the first time the event is being hosted in an English-speaking African country.
Organisers say the meeting will bring together presidents, business leaders, innovators, and policymakers to discuss important issues such as investment, innovation, peace, and international cooperation.
Ahead of the summit, President Ruto also held separate talks with several visiting leaders who have already arrived in the country.
Among them were President Joseph Boakai of Liberia, President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire, President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, and African Development Bank Group President Sidi Ould Tah.
According to State House, the leaders discussed ways of deepening bilateral cooperation in key sectors such as trade, agriculture, education, and technology. These areas are seen as important for boosting economic growth and improving livelihoods across the continent.
They also spoke about strengthening people-to-people exchanges, with leaders noting that stronger social and cultural ties can support long-term partnerships between countries.
Attention will be on how these discussions translate into practical agreements that can support development and stronger regional cooperation across Africa.
