How Kenya, France are rewriting bilateral relations ahead of Africa Forward Summit

Kenya and France have announced a reset of their bilateral relationship, moving away from a traditional donor-recipient framework to what both governments describe as a strategic, investment-led partnership ahead of the Africa Forward Summit set for Nairobi in May.

The shift was outlined during a visit to Nairobi by Eléonore Caroit, France’s Minister Delegate for Francophonie, International Partnerships and French Citizens Abroad, who held talks and addressed a joint conference at the University of Nairobi on Thursday.

Caroit said the two countries are positioning their cooperation around investment, co-creation and reciprocity, with a strong focus on youth employment, innovation and sustainable development.

France is currently Kenya’s fifth-largest foreign investor, with more than 140 French companies operating locally and employing about 36,000 people directly. 

According to figures released during the visit, French foreign direct investment in Kenya has tripled over the past decade.

In the same period, France says it has supported 150 projects in Kenya worth Sh277 billion (€1.8 billion), covering sectors such as energy, infrastructure, health, education and climate action.

Caroit described Kenya as “a source of inspiration” driven by entrepreneurship and innovation, linking that outlook to the upcoming Africa Forward Summit scheduled for May 11–12 in Nairobi.

For the first time, the summit will be held outside a Francophone African country, signalling what Paris terms a broader, pan-African approach to engagement.

The Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi will focus on reforming the international financial architecture, energy transition, green industrialisation, the blue economy, artificial intelligence, sustainable agriculture and health.

Outcomes from the Nairobi meeting are expected to feed into deliberations during France’s G7 Presidency, culminating in discussions at the Évian-les-Bains summit in June 2026.

Kenya and France established diplomatic relations on December 12, 1963. 

Nairobi opened its embassy in Paris in 1966, while the French Development Agency set up its regional office in Nairobi in 1997.

The latest developments suggest both governments are now betting on a model that ties diplomacy more closely to capital flows, industrial policy and youth employment rather than traditional aid.