Macron en tournée africaine à partir de samedi, avec un sommet tourné vers les investissements
Emmanuel Macron will embark on a new African tour starting Saturday, on the occasion of an Africa-France summit in Kenya, for the first time in an English-speaking country, resolutely oriented towards economic investments, the Elysée announced on Wednesday.
On May 11 and 12, this Nairobi summit, dubbed "Africa Forward" in English, will also be the first under the auspices of the French president to bring together the other heads of state and government of African countries since he came to power in 2017. The previous one, in Montpellier in 2021, was held only with African civil society, against a backdrop of deteriorating relations with many former Francophone colonies on the continent.
"The main objective is to showcase and solidify a renewed partnership with African countries," the French presidency told the press.
While Emmanuel Macron has declared the end of Françafrique, its opaque practices and networks of influence inherited from colonialism, and relations have deteriorated or even broken with many countries, particularly in the Sahel, the meeting aims to "illustrate the renewal of our partnerships with Africa, with a look towards the future," added an advisor.
He referred to a "logic which is very economic, very focused on investment", with the promise of a large delegation of French and African bosses and major announcements on site, both from French companies in Africa but also in the other direction.
The first day, Monday, will focus on a business forum, as well as other sessions on sports, the restitution of cultural artifacts to African countries, and an exchange with students. Tuesday will be a more formal day with other leaders, but the economy and investments will remain a central theme, the Élysée Palace confirmed.
The summit will conclude on Tuesday evening with a concert featuring "big names in African music" and members of the diasporas.
Before travelling to Kenya, Mr Macron will stop in Egypt on Saturday, where he is to inaugurate with his counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sissi the Senghor Francophone University in Alexandria, "on a modern campus designed towards Africa", the Elysée said.
He is expected in Nairobi on Sunday, first for a bilateral visit with Kenyan President William Ruto, who has become a key ally in several French initiatives, particularly in favor of reforming the global financial architecture.
On Wednesday, May 13, the French president will travel to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for his first visit to the headquarters of the African Union. He will hold a three-way meeting with the Chairperson of the AU Commission, Djiboutian President Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, to support African efforts to resolve the continent's crises.
He is also scheduled to meet with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
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