The Africa Forward Moment: A Reset in France–Africa Relations

(Guillaume Gandelin – Observer Research Foundation) On 11–12 May, France and Kenya jointly hosted the first Africa–France summit in Nairobi, notably held outside the Francophone world. The ‘Africa Forward’ summit brought together numerous African heads of state, French President Emmanuel Macron, and representatives of global institutions to advance a shared development agenda. This marks a paradigmatic shift in France’s approach towards the African continent, moving away from longstanding military engagements in francophone Africa and towards new avenues of cooperation more closely aligned with emerging markets. France’s legacy engagements with the Sahel appear to be a thing of the past, as noted by President Macron during his visit to Nairobi. After withdrawing militarily from Mali in 2022, Paris is now watching from afar as the country grapples with deepening political and military instability, with the Russia-backed military junta battling a growing jihadist and separatist insurgency around Bamako. – The Africa Forward Moment: A Reset in France–Africa Relations