French Ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Suquet /SCREENGRABFrance has described Kenya as a strategic partner in East Africa as trade, investment and innovation increasingly shape relations between the two countries.
French Ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Suquet said French investments in Kenya are growing steadily, with more firms using the country as a regional hub for expansion.
Speaking on Friday ahead of the Africa Forward Summit, Suquet said France is now the fourth-largest investor in Kenya, with 150 French companies operating in the country and employing about 36,000 people directly.
“France has a very solid partnership with Kenya,” Suquet said.
He said the relationship between France and Africa has evolved beyond traditional diplomacy into one driven by mutual economic interests and shared growth.
According to the envoy, Kenya has become a key partner for France in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, technology, innovation and agribusiness.
Suquet cited French investment in Kenya’s tilapia industry around Lake Victoria as a sign of growing investor confidence in the country’s economy.
“Kenyan companies producing Tilapia in Lake Victoria have French private investors as major shareholders. It’s a vote of confidence and trust,” he said.
The ambassador said the partnership benefits both countries, noting that France is looking to Kenya for agricultural supplies to support Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean that was hit by a devastating storm last year.
“We are trying to source some agricultural products for Mayotte from Kenya because it’s cheaper and closer,” he said.
“France needs Africa; we need Kenya.”
Suquet also expressed optimism about Africa’s economic future, describing the continent as a major innovation hub because of its youthful population.
“Africa is the youngest continent where innovation will take place,” he said.
He added that France is supporting initiatives aimed at boosting local pharmaceutical and health manufacturing capacity across Africa to reduce reliance on imports.
The remarks come ahead of the Africa Forward Summit scheduled for May 11-12 in Nairobi.
The summit, co-hosted by President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron, will focus on investment, technology, innovation and strategic partnerships between France and African countries.
It will also be the first time the summit is being held in a non-Francophone African country.
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