NAIROBI, Kenya- A coalition of pan-African and international activist groups has announced plans to hold a “counter-summit” in Nairobi, in protest against the upcoming Africa–France summit scheduled to bring together African leaders, business executives and civil society representatives.
The planned summit, officially titled the Africa–France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth, is expected to take place on May 11–12, 2026 in Nairobi, and is being framed by organisers as a platform for economic cooperation, climate action, and investment partnerships between Africa and France.
The Summit is co-hosted by President William Ruto and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron.
However, a grouping operating under the banner Pan-Africanism Summit Against Imperialism (PASAI) has criticised the meeting, describing it as part of what it calls a “rebranded imperial agenda” aimed at expanding French influence in Africa.
In a statement, PASAI said the Nairobi summit represents a continuation of historical power imbalances between Africa and France, arguing that economic and security partnerships often benefit foreign corporations more than local communities.
The group also raised concerns over areas of expected discussion at the official summit, including climate finance, energy transition, digital innovation, agriculture and the blue economy, arguing that such frameworks risk reinforcing unequal global economic systems.
They further pointed to France’s declining military and political influence in parts of West Africa in recent years, where several countries have reduced or ended defence cooperation with Paris following political transitions and anti-French sentiment.
The activists also linked their concerns to broader geopolitical developments, including the presence of foreign military partnerships in parts of East Africa. Kenya has existing security cooperation agreements with several Western countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, mainly focused on counterterrorism and training support.
Officials in Western capitals have consistently maintained that such partnerships are based on mutual security interests and regional stability, rather than territorial or economic control.
The organisers of the counter-summit say their alternative gathering will feature public forums, webinars and discussions on topics such as neocolonialism, climate justice, militarisation and global economic inequality.
They are also calling on like-minded organisations from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe to participate.
They argue that African countries must define their own development pathways free from external influence, and say the counter-summit is intended to “amplify voices critical of global power structures.”
The Nairobi meeting is expected to draw significant diplomatic attention, coming at a time when France is seeking to reshape its engagement with African countries following shifts in its traditional influence in West Africa and growing competition from other global powers on the continent.
President Ruto has said that the Summit aims to demonstrate the African continent’s innovation capacity and affirm a shared commitment to developing common, mutually beneficial solutions based on effective multilateralism and a spirit of transformative partnership.
President Macron said, “The Africa Forward Summit will be a significant milestone in that endeavour. For the first time, France and an English-speaking African country will co-chair this event, symbolizing an open and future-focused relationship.”
