Nairobi: French President Emmanuel Macron has called for increased investment in Africa, describing it as the world’s youngest and fastest-growing continent, and urging moves to bolster its sovereignty and future prosperity.
Macron said this at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, May 11-12, themed “Africa Forward: Partnerships between Africa and France for Innovation and Growth.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit, co-organised by the governments of France and Kenya, attracted more than 2,000 African and European business leaders, investors and public decision-makers.
The business forum highlighted the depth of Franco-African economic partnerships and showcased projects, innovations and initiatives driven by the private sector.
Macron said the summit began with listening to African youths speak about their dreams, ambitions and ongoing innovations.
According to him, France is ready to make smart investments that will benefit African youths while strengthening bilateral ties.
He said Africa and Europe shared common challenges in areas such as technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI), payment systems, cultural and creative industries, and global narratives.
The French president noted that both continents remained dependent on global powers such as the United States and China for solutions and innovation.
“There is a divide between entrepreneurs and consumers, and the solutions are designed in America or China.
“When we talk about AI, many of us today are merely consumers.
He stated that both continents must collaborate to attract investment and develop strategic autonomy, as working together will strengthen their positions globally.
Macron highlighted the importance of joint investments in infrastructure and energy, calling them critical steps toward Africa’s broader development and self-reliance.
“If we want to build infrastructure, we must invest together. Also, no infrastructure is possible without energy.
“We must build renewable and nuclear infrastructure to expand electrification for homes and businesses across Africa,” he said.
According to him, infrastructure development is closely linked to sovereignty and reducing dependence on foreign powers.
He also identified talent development as another major challenge, urging both Africa and Europe to create opportunities that would enable skilled youths to remain and contribute to their economies.
“A few years ago, French AI talents were working in Silicon Valley. Now they are returning because we are becoming leaders in AI in Europe.
“The challenge is the same in Africa. We must train more people and create strong educational systems that will help retain talent on the continent,” he said.
Macron said France would expand partnerships with African universities and accelerate investments in digital training and innovation.
He disclosed that Orange would establish 50 digital centres to train one million young Africans by 2030.
Orange is a leading French telecom and digital services company operating across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
He added that the Digital Africa initiative, launched a few years ago, was aimed at connecting digital ecosystems across the continent and supporting youth development.
NAN reports that the summit featured discussions on youth empowerment and job creation across sectors such as sports, culture, and the creative industries, with an emphasis on practical success stories.
Proparco, the private sector finance arm of the French Development Agency, reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable growth in Africa.
The agency operates regional and local offices throughout Africa and has a long-standing presence on the continent.
Between 2022 and 2025, Proparco has committed over 4.6 billion euros to African projects.
More than 500 million euros worth of deals were signed at the forum.
The agreements included the Acre Export Finance Fund I for sustainable infrastructure development in Africa, as well as a partnership between Proparco and Ecobank Group to strengthen agricultural value chains and support women entrepreneurs, among others.
