Speaking to France 24’s François Picard from the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, the Minister Delegate for Francophonie, International Partnerships, and French Citizens Abroad Éléonore Caroit presented the summit as evidence of a “renewed relationship” between France and African nations, one increasingly defined by private capital, educational cooperation, and strategic partnerships. Against the backdrop of 23 billion euros worth of investment commitments tied to the summit, “a bit more than half of that is French companies investing in the continent, and the rest is African companies investing also in the continent.” The symbolism mattered. African investment into Africa itself was positioned not as a footnote, but as evidence of a continent increasingly shaping its own economic future. Yet the interview also revealed the anxieties underlying France’s repositioning. Confronted with China’s expanding footprint in Kenya and across the continent, the minister conceded that France could not compete solely on the financial scale: “It’s true, but it’s not only about the money.” Instead, Paris is attempting to redefine its comparative advantage around expertise, infrastructure, education, digital innovation, and linguistic ties.
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