France's Macron announces more than €1 billion of investment deals in Kenya

French President Emmanuel Macron urged more investment in Africa on Sunday, as he prepared to co-host the Africa-Forward summit with his Kenyan counterpart.

The first such forum to be held in an English-speaking country, it marks a shift in French policy towards the continent. 

Paris has stressed its new outlook as a "partnership of equals," with the focus on economic cooperation and investment.

Macron used the occasion to announce major news deals between the two nations: 

"French companies are investing in and believe in Kenya’s potential, CMA-CGM, which has just committed to renovating two terminals at the port of Mombasa, a total investment of €700 million; Meridiam, which is set to expand the country’s second wind farm to the tune of $225 million; Kibeto; and in total, across all the projects, as we have seen, as I was saying, more than €1 billion has been committed." 

In all, Macron and Kenya's President Ruto signed 11 agreements on Sunday, including investments in modernised transport, sustainable agriculture and a nuclear energy plant. 

"We understand as African leaders that we too have responsibilities," Ruto said.

"This relationship is not going to be one-sided. We will be expecting from France as they will be expecting from us and they will be giving as much as we are giving. That is the win-win, you know, mutually beneficial relationship." 

Ruto said both leaders expect the summit to be a “turning point” toward a better partnership. But he added that Nairobi is looking to nurture a wide range of relationships, "neither looking East nor West" but "looking forward."