Africa Forward summit wraps up in Nairobi

Calls for mutual respect were reiterated throughout the Africa Forward summit on Tuesday in Nairobi, co-hosted by Kenya and France.

Kenyan President William Ruto insisted that the days of European dependency were finished for Africa, and rather that mutual respect between co operating nations was the way ahead.

"We reiterate with clarity and conviction the urgent necessity of reforming global peace and security governance, particularly the United Nations Security Council. It is both indispensable and unconscionable that a continent of nearly 1.5 billion people, represented by 54 sovereign states and constituting one of the largest blocs within the United Nations, continues to remain excluded from permanent representation on the Security Council," said Ruto.

With its influence on the continent declining, Paris is seeking to renew its engagement, after years of tense relations with its former colonies.

The French president outlined his view for future partnership at the summit, saying, "at its heart, the partnership we envision for this 'Africa Forward' summit—the partnership I believe in between Africa and Europe—is one that serves peace, prosperity, and our shared strategic autonomy and independence. This is a powerful vision. If we succeed, it will allow us to fundamentally rebuild a multilateral order that has been so deeply shaken and weakened—an order whose decline affects us all. Ultimately, this partnership can become a source of hope and a future for everyone."

During the summit, Emmanuel Macron also announced investments worth 23 billion euros for various sectors on the continent including AI, energy and agriculture.