President Emmanuel Macron opened the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi on Monday, announcing a €23 billion [2] investment package for the continent.

The initiative marks a strategic pivot for France as it seeks to diversify its alliances across Africa following diplomatic setbacks in West Africa. By focusing on economic partnerships and infrastructure, Paris aims to rebuild its influence through business-led diplomacy rather than traditional political ties.

More than 30 African leaders [3] attended the two-day [4] event, which began on May 11 [5]. The summit follows a state visit by Macron to Kenya on Sunday.

Central to the economic push is a major infrastructure project in Kenya. The French shipping group CMA CGM will invest €700 million [1] to modernize a terminal at the port of Mombasa. This project is intended to serve as a blueprint for further French industrial engagement in East Africa.

French officials said the broader €23 billion [2] package is designed to promote French business interests and secure new investment deals across multiple nations. The summit serves as a platform to showcase these ties and move away from the historical frictions that have hampered French relations with several former colonies.

African leaders at the summit used the gathering to push for a rethink of risk pricing for fresh investments. The goal is to lower the financial barriers that often deter European capital from entering African markets, which would allow the announced funds to be deployed more effectively.

“President Emmanuel Macron opened the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi on Monday”

This shift toward heavy infrastructure and capital investment suggests France is transitioning from a policy of political oversight to one of economic partnership. By anchoring its presence in East Africa via the Mombasa port project, Paris is attempting to hedge against its declining influence in the Sahel and West Africa, where anti-French sentiment has risen.