Kenya to host the Africa-France Summit in 2026 - Ruto

The summit will bring together Heads of State, Governments, civil society representatives, and private sector leaders.

In Summary

•The announcement was made during a the signing of a Paris Pact for the People and the Planet Coalition leaders during a  lunch meeting hosted by President Macron.

Presidents William Ruto and Emmanuel Macron during the lunch meeting in New York.
Presidents William Ruto and Emmanuel Macron during the lunch meeting in New York.
Image: PCS

Kenya is set to host the Africa-France Summit in 2026 for the first time since its inception in 1973.

In a statement on Friday, State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed said the Africa-France Summit will take place outside of France or a Francophone African country.

"The historic announcement was made by Presidents William Ruto and Emmanuel Macron during the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York," Hussein said.

The announcement was made during the signing of a Paris Pact for the People and the Planet Coalition leaders during a lunch meeting hosted by President Macron.

The summit will bring together Heads of State and Government, civil society representatives, and private sector leaders.

"They will discuss and advance reforms of global financial institutions and governance systems," he said.

"The goal is to more effectively address the ongoing planetary crisis, an effort in which Kenya and France have been actively collaborating."

This marks a notable departure for the Africa-France Summit, which, after 53 years, will be held in an Anglophone nation. 

In a joint statement issued by the two presidents, the summit will focus on solutions to challenges related to climate, environment and the reform of the international financial architecture.

"It will seek to foster a constructive form of multilateralism, in line with the Paris Pact for People and the Planet and the Nairobi Declaration which resulted from the Africa Climate Summit," the joint communique read.

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