Kenya is ready to host the Africa Forward Summit 2026 which will bring together Heads of State and Governments, global financial institutions, investors, innovators, and development partners to chart Africa’s long-term economic transformation.
Speaking, yesterday, during a Virtual Media Roundtable, Principal Secretary (PS) for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Korir Sing’Oei, said the two-day Summit, slated for May 11-12, 2026, will serve as a key platform for strengthening Africa’s global partnerships and will be convened under the leadership of Kenya’s President, Dr. William Ruto and French President, Emmanuel Macron.
The Summit, he added is projected to attract more than 30 Heads of State and Government, over 4,000 delegates, and more than 2,000 private sector leaders and companies.
Held under the theme “Africa–France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth”, the Summit seeks to redefine cooperation between Africa and France through practical, action-oriented partnerships that promote investment, innovation, and sustainable development.
Key areas of focus will include energy transition and green industrialization, reform of the international financial architecture, the blue economy, sustainable agriculture, Artificial Intelligence, and digital technologies.
He said the first day of the Summit will feature a major business forum bringing together about 1,500 African and French CEOs, investors, and policymakers.
The Forum will focus on accelerating Africa’s industrialization through innovation, private capital mobilization and strategic partnerships.
It will also include dedicated sessions on youth entrepreneurship, sports commercialization, and the cultural and creative industries as key drivers of economic growth.
“The business forum also features a youth entrepreneurship segment, a sports commercialization segment, and a cultural and creative industries demand as drivers of Africa’s growth,” he said, adding the second day will focus on high-level political and policy dialogues at the Heads of State level.
“We will witness deep political, policy, and strategic engagements at the Heads of State level on issues pertinent to the Continent: energy security for industrialization, financial architecture reforms to enhance Africa’s capital modernization, peace and security for a stronger African role in stabilization and critical sections known to the agriculture, health, artificial intelligence, and blue economy,” the PS said.
Dr. Sing’Oei noted that the event will attract a broad spectrum of global stakeholders, including the Secretary-General of the United Nations, leadership of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the African Development Bank, senior financiers, investors from Europe and Africa as well as innovators, academics, civil society actors, and more than 4,000 delegates.
Dr. Sing’Oei briefed that the Summit is taking place at a defining moment for Africa and the world, as global geopolitical, economic, technological, and environmental shifts continue to reshape international relations and development priorities.
He emphasised that Africa is increasingly positioning itself not merely as a participant in global affairs but as a strategic partner in shaping global growth, innovation, sustainability, and industrial transformation.
“In this changing landscape, Africa must play not just the role of a participant in global affairs, but also that of a strategic partner, helping shape the future of global growth, innovation, sustainability, industrialisation, and economic transformation,” the PS said.
The current projections, he informed indicate that by 2050, one in every four people globally will be African, positioning the continent at the centre of future global innovation, ecosystems, and economic growth.
He also highlighted that Africa’s youthful population of over 400 million people aged between 15 and 35 is already driving growth in Fin Tech, digital services, artificial intelligence, creative industries, and entrepreneurship.
“This demographic is powering rapid growth across FinTech, digital services, Artificial Intelligence, creative industries, and entrepreneurship. But this demographic profile also presents immense challenges that require intervention not only within Africa, but also with other countries around the world.” he said.
Despite these opportunities, Dr. Sing’Oei acknowledged, persistent challenges, including infrastructure financing gaps, limited access to electricity, and underutilization of natural resources, including Africa’s vast arable land and mineral wealth.
He noted that the key question facing the international community is no longer whether Africa has potential but how partnerships can be structured to support industrialisation, investment mobilization, skills development, technology transfer, and sustainable prosperity.
The PS said the Africa Forward Summit is designed to provide practical pathways for implementation-focused collaboration between Africa, France, and global partners, with an emphasis on measurable outcomes.
“The defining question today is how partnerships can better support industrialisation, investment mobilization, innovation, technology transfer, skills development, and sustainable long-term prosperity for the continent,” he noted.
Sing’Oei added that it was for these reasons that the Africa Forward Summit would be convened, to create practical pathways for investment, industrial cooperation, and implementation-focused collaboration between Africa, France, and the wider global community.”
By Ian Chepkuto and Wangari Ndirangu
