French President Emmanuel Macron announced a 23 billion euro investment package for Africa at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, combining approximately 14 billion euros from French public and private institutions with around 9 billion euros from African investors in a plan targeting the energy, agriculture, digital technology, industry, and maritime sectors and potentially creating up to 250,000 direct jobs across both continents.
Macron described the initiative as a shift from aid to investment, encouraging African business leaders to invest in France as part of a two-way economic partnership. He positioned Europe as a stable partner for Africa while criticizing what he described as China’s predatory approach to critical mineral supply chains, which he said created global dependency.
He said French forces had withdrawn from the Sahel in response to changing political conditions following coups that removed the governments that had hosted them, and rejected the characterization that the withdrawal represented defeat. He also said the repatriation of African cultural artefacts taken during the colonial era was now unstoppable following new French legislation enabling such returns.
The summit’s official investment document showed commitments across multiple sectors. Agriculture funding targeted food security, irrigation, agro-processing, and climate-resilient farming. Blue economy investments focused on ports, fisheries, and maritime logistics including major port upgrades in Kenya, Nigeria, Egypt, and Morocco. Digital economy and AI commitments included projects to expand fiber optic networks, satellite connectivity, data centers, and digital training centers. Healthcare funding would support hospital construction, vaccine production, pharmaceutical development, and improved access to medical services. Energy transition investments covered solar, wind, hydro, and hydrogen projects aimed at boosting electricity supply and renewable energy access.
The summit was co-hosted with Kenya and concluded with renewed commitments to deepen economic cooperation between Africa and France.
