French President Emmanuel Macron has praised Kenyan President William Ruto for successfully co-hosting the Africa Forward Summit, which concluded on Tuesday, describing his decision to take on the role as bold and unconventional.
Speaking during the vote of thanks, Macron expressed appreciation to his “dear brother William,” saying Ruto “had to be crazy to accept this offer to co-chair and co-organise a summit like this one,” but ultimately delivered beyond expectations.
“I want to thank my brother Ruto, because he had to be crazy to accept this offer to co-chair the Africa Forward Summit. He accepted, and more than that, he delivered,” Macron said.
Opening his remarks in Kiswahili, Macron set a light tone with: “Nairobi niaje? Mko poa?” before going on to commend the Kenyan leadership, organisers, and participants for the success of the high-level gathering.
“I want to thank the President of Kenya, his government, the team, all the organisation and the French teams, because together you clearly built something unique in this Africa Forward Summit,” he added.
Macron also thanked Kenyans for their hospitality, saying it made visiting delegations feel at home, while highlighting the contribution of artists, entrepreneurs and sports personalities in making the summit memorable.
In response, President Ruto welcomed Macron to the stage, describing him as a trusted friend of Kenya and extending an open invitation for future visits.
“We are very proud to be part of this event, Emmanuel. Thanks very much for paying us a visit. You are welcome to Kenya anytime. You have demonstrated that you are our friend,” Ruto said.
The summit, held over two days, culminated in the adoption of the “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnership for Growth and Innovation” declaration, a framework aimed at deepening cooperation between Africa and France through innovation, investment and development-focused collaboration.
The declaration emphasises principles of mutual respect, shared responsibility and co-development, while reaffirming the African Union Constitutive Act’s commitments to unity, peace, security, good governance and democratic governance.
It also underscores support for African-led peace and security initiatives through the African Union’s Peace and Security Architecture, alongside implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2719 to strengthen predictable and sustainable financing for AU-led operations and enhance coordination with the United Nations.
