Dignitaries from across Africa and beyond have started arriving in Nairobi ahead of the much-anticipated Africa Forward Summit.
The meeting is expected to bring together 30 Heads of State, innovators and business leaders for high-level discussions on the continent’s future.
The summit, jointly hosted by President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron, will take place at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) and the University of Nairobi on May 11 and 12.
On Sunday, Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio landed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), becoming one of the first leaders to arrive for the event.
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano, who has been leading the government’s reception arrangements for visiting dignitaries, received him.
Miano had on Saturday evening also welcomed Côte d’Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara upon his arrival in the country.
More presidents and senior government officials are expected to arrive in Nairobi ahead of Monday’s high-level presidential convergence at KICC.
The Africa Forward Summit is being billed as a landmark gathering aimed at redefining relations between Africa and France while strengthening multilateral cooperation on global and regional issues.
The summit will convene African Heads of State, the President of France, representatives of the African Union, international financial institutions, development partners, business executives, innovators and creatives.
Organisers say the meeting seeks to produce concrete commitments and chart a new partnership model between Africa and France anchored on equality, mutual respect and shared prosperity.
The event is being held under the High Patronage of Presidents Macron and Ruto and is co-organised by Bpifrance, Business France and Proparco.
According to organisers, more than 1,500 economic and institutional leaders from Africa and France are expected to participate in the summit.
The forum will focus on showcasing Africa’s innovation capacity and advancing solutions to emerging challenges facing the continent and the world.
The summit comes at a time when African nations are increasingly pushing for greater agency in global decision-making, climate financing, trade and sustainable development.
Ruto, in his welcoming message ahead of the summit, described the gathering as a historic opportunity to shape the future of Africa’s partnerships with the rest of the world.
“It is my distinct honour to warmly welcome you to Nairobi, Kenya, for the inaugural Africa Forward Summit, co-hosted by Kenya and France at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre and the University of Nairobi on the 11th and 12th of May 2026,” Ruto said.
“Kenya, the cradle of humankind, is proud to host you once again on African soil, a place where history began, and where the future is being actively shaped.”
Macron also underscored the significance of the summit, saying it marked a major step in efforts to redefine relations between France and Africa.
“Since 2017, we have been working on overhauling the Africa–France relationship. We wish to build partnerships on an equal footing, founded on shared interests and tangible results,” Macron said.
“The Africa Forward Summit will be a significant milestone in that endeavour. For the first time, France and an English-speaking African country will co-chair this event, symbolizing an open and future-focused relationship.”
Macron added that the summit would go beyond government engagements by involving businesses, young people, artists and members of the diaspora.
“This summit will bring together States, businesses, young people, artists and diasporas. Because the relationship between France and Africa cannot merely be declared, it must be built on the ground by innovators, entrepreneurs and creatives,” he said.
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