President Kagame, on Monday, May 11, arrived in Nairobi, Kenya where he is joining other heads of state and government from across the continent for the inaugural Africa Forward Summit, an event aimed at strengthening collaboration between France and Africa in trade, investment, and technology. Co-hosted by presidents William Ruto of Kenya and Emmanuel Macron of France, the summit is being held under the theme “Africa Forward: Africa-France Partnership for Innovation and Growth.” ALSO READ: Rwanda, France agree on new defence cooperation roadmap Kagame is expected to co-chair a roundtable discussion on artificial intelligence and digital technologies, and also address a plenary session on green industrialisation and energy transition alongside African and French business leaders. According to organisers, the summit has attracted more than 4,000 participants, including over 25 African heads of state and government. The event is expected to conclude with the Nairobi Declaration on future Africa-France cooperation. ALSO READ: France, Rwanda sign €400M partnership agreement Rwanda and France maintain cooperation in several sectors. In 2024, the two countries signed a €400 million development partnership covering the period up to 2028, focusing on health, environmental projects, and youth training. RwandAir also operates flights between Kigali and Paris under an existing air services agreement between the two countries. Rwanda and France also have military cooperation through exchange visits between the Rwanda Defence Force and the French Armed Forces in recent years.
