Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing’oei has met the organisers of the 2026 France-Africa Summit that will be hosted by Kenya.

Taking to his official X account on the night of Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Sing’oei revealed that he had met the Secretary General of the France-Africa Summit, Jeremie Blin, who was accompanied by France’s ambassador to Kenya, Arnaud Suquet.

Sing’oei further lauded the upcoming summit as a key platform that will be used to reimagine the continent’s relationship with France within a complex global environment that demands innovative solutions to difficult challenges facing the world.

Kenya’s France-Africa Summit coordinators

Ambassador Ben Oguttu and Prof. Waithaka Iraki, Kenya’s lead coordinators for the Summit, also attended the meeting.

“Met with the Secretary General of the France-Africa Summit, H.E Jeremie Blin, accompanied by H.E Arnaud Suquet @FranceinKenya. This Summit which will be held in Nairobi in 2026 will reimagine the continent’s relationship with France within a complex global environment that demands innovative solutions to difficult challenges facing our world. Ambassador B. Oguttu and Prof. Iraki, Kenya’s lead coordinators for the Summit, were also present,” Sing’oei stated.

Met with the Secretary General of the France-Africa Summit H.E Jeremie Blin accompanied by H.E Arnaud Suquet @FranceinKenya. This Summit which will be held in Nairobi in 2026 will reimagine the continent’s relationship with France within a complex global environment that demands… pic.twitter.com/T7rWSC6pOZ

— Korir Sing'Oei (@SingoeiAKorir) April 29, 2025

Africa-France Summit

Kenya will make history as the first non-Francophone African nation to host the Africa-France Summit in 2026.

Announced during the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York, Presidents William Ruto and Emmanuel Macron broke tradition by selecting Nairobi as the next venue for the event, which has previously been held exclusively in France or Francophone African countries since its inception in 1973.

Major announcement at UNGA:

Kenya will host the Africa-France Summit in 2026.

For the first time since its inception in 1973, the Africa-France Summit will take place outside of France or a Francophone African country.

The historic announcement was made by Presidents… pic.twitter.com/l31w6tSMfd

— Hussein Mohamed, MBS. (@HusseinMohamedg) September 27, 2024

The decision to shift the summit to Kenya signals a bold move for France, reflecting both countries’ commitment to addressing global challenges with fresh perspectives.

It also elevates Kenya’s status as a diplomatic and environmental leader in Africa, a position further solidified during Ruto’s leadership of the 2023 African Climate Summit.

While the decision to hold the summit in Nairobi was hailed as a diplomatic victory for Kenya, it also comes at a time when both Ruto and Macron face mounting pressure at home.

Ruto’s administration has been criticised for its response to widespread anti-government protests that were witnessed in the country in June 2024, while Macron has struggled with a loss of influence in West Africa.

Hosting the summit, therefore, offers both leaders a chance to shift the narrative and reinforce their legitimacy on the global stage.