PARIS/WASHINGTON — After being pushed out of several Sahel countries, France is seeking to redefine its relations with Africa by shifting away from its colonial legacy and decades-long francophone-focused policies, and instead prioritizing economic partnerships with countries like Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.
The shift was on display this week as the French-African Africa Forward summit — held roughly every three years since 1973 — took place for the first time in a non-francophone country. Speaking Monday in Nairobi, French President Emmanuel Macron called for deeper French-African co-investment, arguing that both sides face shared challenges ranging from security to economic dependence and geopolitical competition.
At the summit, Macron said he had mobilized $27 billion in investments in Africa, including $16.4 billion from French companies and public and private funds, along with $10.5 billion from African partners, targeting energy transitions, agriculture and artificial intelligence. He said the investments could generate 250,000 jobs in both France and Africa.
But analysts say Macron’s efforts may be too little, too late.
“France’s current position in Africa compared to 2017, when Macron first announced in his Ouagadougou speech a fundamental policy shift, has only worsened,” Niagale Bagayoko, president of the African Security Sector Network, told Al-Monitor.
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