Diplomatic blunder? Why French summit may expose Kenya to isolation

The video of French President  Emmanuel Macron jogging alongside Kenya’s foremost runner and double Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge across Nairobi fascinated many, as did the footage of Macron taking cooking lessons from Dennis Ombachi, the famous self-taught chef.

For a country increasingly facing hostility in parts of Africa, Macron’s Nairobi visit projected an image France desperately wants the continent to see — modern, youthful, culturally connected and comfortably embraced by Africans.

At a time when anti-French sentiment is surging in West and Central Africa — with French troops expelled, embassies attacked and Paris accused of decades of neo-colonial influence — the imagery from Macron’s Nairobi visit offered nothing but a striking contrast.

But as Nairobi hosted the high-stakes France–Africa summit, Kenya may have just stepped into one of the continent’s most politically sensitive geopolitical fault lines.

While the government sees an opportunity to position Kenya as a diplomatic and economic gateway between Africa and the West, critics warn that the symbolism of embracing France at such a volatile moment could be laden with deep long-term diplomatic consequences. The question now on the cards is whether Kenya is executing a clever foreign policy strategy or quietly walking into a geopolitical storm.

While the summit was underway, an online campaign, #FrenchOutOfAfrica, was gathering momentum across the continent, criticising the summit.

President William Ruto, however, repeatedly defended the cooperation, describing it as well-meaning and premised on mutual benefit.

“The relationship with France is special because there is a very personal relationship between President Macron, myself and Kenya, and that relationship has earned us the place where we are today -the first summit signaling a shift to a broader, much more inclusive relationship with Africa, recalibrated with the understanding of respect for sovereignty and a relationship that is mutually beneficial,” he stated.

According the Ruto administration, Kenya and France signed 11 agreements aimed at deepening cooperation across strategic sectors that included the rehabilitation and modernisation of the Sh12.5 billion Nairobi Commuter Rail project.

Other goodies include an agreement establishing a joint venture to develop and finance logistics and port infrastructure, an investment of about Sh104 billion.

Hours before the summit kickoff when journalists confronted Macron with the accusations facing his country in parts of West Africa, he responded: “It’s hard to say that West Africa will not be present just because three countries regretfully decided, because of the coup and the behaviour of the military people in charge, to put themselves aside from the rest of the club... even civil society from the Sahel will be here."

For decades, France maintained an expansive political, economic and military footprint in its former colonies in West and Central Africa. Perhaps the most controversial issue has been France’s long-standing military presence.

For years, French troops operated across countries such as Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso under the justification of counterterrorism operations aimed at fighting hardcore jihadist insurgencies in the Sahel.

Operations such as Operation Barkhane were initially embraced by several governments, but as insecurity worsened despite years of French military involvement, public frustration grew. Many Africans began lashing out at France of using security cooperation as a cover to maintain strategic control over the region.

In Mali and Burkina Faso, anti-French protests intensified with French flags burned in the streets, and military juntas eventually expelling French troops altogether.

Some observers argue that Kenya’s newfound ties with France could prove to be a double-edged sword.

“It can cut either way. In one sense, there are avenues for diplomatic opportunities, while on the other, there are serious risks that could come with this cooperation,” states Dr Kenneth Ombongi.

“It is an open secret that France’s fortunes are diminishing in Africa, especially in Francophone countries, and so for Kenya to gladly step up and host the Africa Forward Summit feels like a betrayal of Africa. Every other country with outstanding issues with France will deal with us suspiciously.”  

Another major source of resentment has been the CFA franc monetary system, used by at least 14 African countries mostly in West and Central Africa. Critics argue the currency arrangement symbolised continued French economic control decades after independence. Under the system, member countries historically deposited part of their foreign reserves with the French treasury, while France retained significant influence over monetary policy structures.

“Unlike the British and other colonial masters, the French left their umbilical cords fully intact with their former colonies,” argues Dr Joseph Mugachia, a governance affairs analyst and co-convenor of the Concerned Citizens Movement of Kenya.

“It explains the animosity we are witnessing with its former colonies. When you have those countries still using their currencies and even linking their central banks with Paris, it tells you that France still has a firm grip on these African countries.” 

France has also repeatedly faced accusations of political interference in African governance. Over the years, Paris has been accused of backing authoritarian leaders considered loyal to French interests, particularly in Francophone Africa.

Critics point to France’s historically close ties with some long-serving rulers in countries such as Gabon, Cameroon and Chad as evidence that Paris prioritised strategic influence and economic interests over democracy and human rights.

“The scramble for Africa Two is no longer a metaphor; it is upon us. Will this new courtship finally uplift African people or merely repaint old empires in new colours? History is watching, and so must African leaders,” states Dr Ombongi.

“What President Ruto and his foreign affairs advisers need to ask themselves at this point in time is: before engaging in any bilateral or even multilateral arrangements, what is in it for Kenya? Yes, Kenya may be alienated by a few Francophone countries on the continent, but how much does Kenya gain from associating with them? If there is more to gain from associating with France, then so be it.” 

Hours before the commencement of the Africa Forward Summit, a group of over 100 civil society and human rights organisations convened on the sidelines to prepare a white paper containing some 60 propositions they wanted tabled at the summit.

The issues raised by the groups ranged from human rights violations, claims of neo-colonial influence from powerful countries, economic exploitation, to support for authoritarian regimes.

Prof Achille Mbembe, Director General of the Innovation Foundation for Democracy, stated on the sidelines of the summit:

“Major powers are trying to preserve their interests, not always in conciliation with weaker powers. Our continent needs to be autonomous and use, for instance, its natural resources and technology for the service of its people in an inclusive manner.”

In Niger, for example, French nuclear giant Orano (formerly Areva) became a lightning rod for criticism over uranium mining agreements that many locals believed unfairly favoured France while Niger remained one of the world’s poorest nations despite its strategic mineral wealth.

Similar accusations have periodically emerged in other Francophone African states where French multinational corporations maintain dominant positions in sectors such as telecommunications, ports, energy and infrastructure.

“Africa has the youngest population in the world, the most diverse, with all the minerals that you can think of. How come that has not translated into wealth and dignity for its people? And so, what is democracy without transformation of the lives of the people who live in those societies? That is the reason why we are seeing lots of disquiet among African youth on how they are governed,” argues International Commission of Jurists Kenya Executive Director Demas Kiprono.