NAIROBI, Kenya – The Africa Forward Summit, officially known as the Africa-France Partnership for Innovation and Growth, is set to take place in Nairobi on Monday, May 11–12, 2026, bringing together a high-level gathering of global leaders and investors.
The summit will be co-hosted by President William Ruto and President Emmanuel Macron, and is expected to convene more than 30 African Heads of State alongside over 2,000 business leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs from across the world.
It will be hosted at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), with additional preparatory and side events scheduled at the University of Nairobi and the developing Bomas International Convention Complex.
Diplomatic sources describe the meeting as a landmark engagement in Africa-France relations, marking the first time since the summit’s inception in 1973 that it will be held in a non-Francophone, English-speaking African country.
The shift is seen as a strategic move by France to broaden its engagement across all 54 African nations, moving beyond traditional linguistic and regional ties and embracing the continent’s growing influence in innovation, trade, and sustainability.
The summit agenda is anchored on what officials are describing as a “partnership of equals,” with emphasis on innovation, investment, and sustainable development.
Key thematic areas include reform of global financial systems, energy transition and green industry, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, health sovereignty, the blue economy, sustainable agriculture, and peace and security.
Host officials in Nairobi have underscored that the forum presents a strategic opportunity to position Kenya as a regional hub for investment and innovation, noting that France remains one of Kenya’s key bilateral partners, with significant commercial and development ties already in place.
The summit is expected to deepen cooperation while redefining Africa-France relations through a more balanced and mutually beneficial framework focused on long-term growth and shared prosperity.
