Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja / HANDOUTNairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has welcomed Heads of State, business leaders and policy makers to the city ahead of the Africa Forward Summit 2026, describing it as a key platform to strengthen partnerships between Africa and France.
Sakaja said the summit brings together global leaders at a critical moment for economic transformation, with a focus on youth employment, artificial intelligence and the green economy.
He added that the gathering represents a turning point for the continent, stressing the need for practical outcomes that benefit young people.
“On the occasion of the Africa Forward Summit, our beloved capital city is hosting heads of state, business leaders, and policy makers to foster an equal, honest and productive partnership between France and African countries,” Sakaja said.
“This is a defining moment for countries connected by a shared history and facing together shared economic challenges. The tangibles will be to deliver jobs for the youth, especially in the field of A.I and of green economy.”
Sakaja said Nairobi is ready to host the high-level delegation and lead conversations on Africa’s economic future, expressing optimism about the continent’s potential.
“Our continent is ready, Kenya is ready and Nairobi is ready! Let’s move Africa forward! Karibu Kanairo,” he said.
The summit is expected to bring together regional and international leaders for discussions on investment, innovation and sustainable development across Africa.
It is all systems go as Kenya finalises the preparations for the landmark Africa Forward Summit 2026
The formal handover of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs took place on Saturday evening, ahead of the high-level meeting slated for May 11–12, 2026.
The symbolic handover, which was led by the Tourism CS Rebecca Miano, to the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, marked the transition of KICC into the official operational venue for the first-ever Africa Forward Summit, to be hosted in Anglophone Africa.
The Summit will convene more than 30 African Heads of State and Government, over 4,000 delegates, and approximately 2,500 global business leaders, investors, innovators, development partners, and policy actors from across Africa, France, and the wider international community.
The Ceremony followed a high-level inspection of preparedness at the iconic venue, attended by Principal Secretary (PS) for Foreign Affairs, Korir Sing’Oei, French Ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Suquet, KICC Chief Executive Officer, James Mwaura, senior government officials, representatives of the French Embassy, Summit Secretariat officials, and local and international media.
Held under the theme “Africa Forward: Africa–France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth", the Summit is expected to mark a significant turning point in Africa–France relations, anchored on a renewed framework of parity, innovation, co-investment, and practical implementation.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Mudavadi said the Summit represents far more than a diplomatic gathering, describing it as a strategic platform to reposition Africa within an evolving global order.
“The Summit is anchored around a simple but powerful proposition: that Africa must move from dialogue to delivery. From declarations to implementation. From promises to measurable outcomes. And from historical dependency frameworks toward partnerships grounded in parity, mutual respect, innovation, and shared opportunity,” Mudavadi said.
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