France is unveiling what it describes as a new model of partnership with African countries at the Africa Forward Summit, which started Monday in Kenya. This initiative coincides with France’s military withdrawal from West African nations, a transition viewed as an indication of its diminishing influence on the continent.
Throughout this two-day summit, co-hosted by France, the nation seeks to promote a policy that emphasises collaboration with English-speaking African countries, positioning it as a “partnership of equals.”
A recent defence agreement with Kenya exemplifies the direction France aims to pursue. For many years, France has implemented a policy known as Françafrique, which facilitated its economic, political, and military influence over its former colonies, including the deployment of thousands of troops in the region.
However, after enduring substantial criticism from various leaders and opposition groups in these countries regarding what they considered a condescending and heavy-handed approach, France has been obliged to withdraw most of its military presence.
This summit is notable for marking France’s first engagement with an English-speaking African nation, with over 30 heads of state and government expected to attend, including representatives from Francophone countries. Upon arrival on Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron remarked that while France may have differing views with West African governments, it remains aligned with the aspirations of the people.
The recently established defence agreement between Kenya and France has encountered scrutiny from civil society organisations, which argue that it provides excessive legal protections for French troops under local law. This issue is particularly sensitive in the context of a prior agreement with the United Kingdom, which has been associated with a history of challenging prosecutions for offences committed against local citizens.
As many African nations, particularly in the Sahel region, seek to reduce or expel foreign military presences to reclaim their sovereignty, Kenya is welcoming an increasing international military presence. The Kenya-France Defence Cooperation Agreement was signed on 29 October 2025 by Kenya’s Defence Minister, Soipan Tuya, and the French Ambassador to Kenya, Arnaud Suquet, and subsequently ratified by Parliament on 8 April 2026. In that same month, Kenya also ratified defence agreements with the Czech Republic, China, and Italy.
In defence of these agreements, the Chair of the Parliament Defence Committee, Nelson Koech, emphasised that Kenya’s treaties with advanced military partners offer valuable training and intelligence-sharing opportunities that will strengthen the nation’s defence capabilities. He asserted that these agreements do not constitute a “surrender of sovereignty.” He highlighted that new provisions ensure that foreign troops will be held accountable for serious offences, such as murder, in Kenyan courts.
Approximately one month before the summit, a contingent of some 800 French troops arrived in Kenya aboard a naval ship. The defence agreement grants visiting French forces primary jurisdiction over personnel for on-duty offences, echoing legal protections found in previous UK agreements, which have shielded British soldiers from Kenyan courts in contentious cases, including the 2012 murder of Agnes Wanjiru and the tragic 2021 Lolldaiga ranch fire. A British soldier is currently slated for extradition following Kenyan court findings linking him to the 2012 death of Wanjiru, who was last seen in the company of British troops near training grounds in Nanyuki, central Kenya.
This article used information from The Associated Press.
