French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a €23 billion ($27 billion) investment package for Africa, signaling a shift toward a new partnership model centered on mutual respect and shared economic growth.
The announcement came on Tuesday at the Africa Forward Summit, where leaders emphasized sovereignty and equality as the foundation of future cooperation between France and African nations.
Macron said the funding would target key sectors including energy, artificial intelligence, and agriculture. He noted that €14 billion ($16.4 billion) would come from French companies, while €9 billion ($10.5 billion) would be contributed by African partners.
The French leader described the initiative as a turning point in relations between France and African countries, including its former colonies, marking a move away from traditional aid-based approaches.
“We are entering a new phase based on co-investment and shared priorities,” Macron said, stressing that “the days of offering assistance are behind us.”
Kenyan President William Ruto, whose country co-hosted the summit, strongly echoed the theme of sovereignty throughout his address. He emphasized that Africa is seeking partnerships built on equality rather than dependency.
“New partnerships must not be built on dependency but on sovereign equality,” Ruto said. “Not on aid or charity but on mutually beneficial investment, and not on extraction or exploitation but on win-win engagements.”
The summit, attended by 30 heads of state and government, is expected to conclude with a joint declaration outlining the framework for the renewed partnership.
The event comes at a time of strained relations between France and several of its former colonies in West Africa, including Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, where leaders have criticized Paris for what they describe as a heavy-handed and outdated approach.
France has in recent years reduced its military presence in the region, completing troop withdrawals from several countries, including Senegal.
Macron acknowledged the need for change, stressing respect for national independence. “Sovereignty and autonomy are shared, and your success is our success,” he said.
He also praised the unity displayed at the summit, calling it “an image of a united continent with a shared agenda.”
The new strategy reflects France’s effort to reset its engagement with Africa, moving toward economic collaboration and away from the legacy of the so-called “Françafrique” system that once defined its influence across the continent.
