NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) – France is promoting a new model of partnership with African nations at a summit beginning Monday in Kenya, coinciding with its military withdrawal from West African countries, a move perceived as indicative of its waning influence on the continent. Paris aims to utilize the two-day Africa Forward Summit, co-hosted in Kenya, to advocate for a revised Africa policy that emphasizes collaboration with English-speaking countries and proposes what it refers to as a "partnership of equals."
Historically, France has exerted substantial economic, political, and military control over its former colonies through a policy known as Françafrique, which involved maintaining thousands of troops in the region. However, following prolonged criticism from local leaders and opposition parties regarding perceived demeaning and heavy-handed tactics, France has been compelled to withdraw most of its forces from these nations.
This summit marks France’s inaugural event in an English-speaking African nation and will be attended by over 30 heads of state and government, including representatives from Francophone countries. Upon his arrival in Nairobi on Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged that while France may have disagreements with West African governments, it "never disagrees with the people."
The recently ratified defense agreement between Kenya and France has faced criticism from civil society groups, which argue it grants excessive immunity to French troops under local law. This concern is particularly significant in Kenya, where a similar pact with the United Kingdom has resulted in challenges prosecuting serious crimes committed by foreign soldiers against locals.
Amidst a broader trend of African countries expelling foreign military presences in their pursuit of sovereignty, Kenya is witnessing a burgeoning international military presence. The Kenya-France Defense Cooperation Agreement, signed on October 29, 2025, by Kenya’s Defense Minister Soipan Tuya and French Ambassador to Kenya Arnaud Suquet, was ratified by the Kenyan parliament on April 8, 2026. During the same month, Kenya also approved defense agreements with several countries, including the Czech Republic, China, and Italy.
While defending these defense agreements, Nelson Koech, chair of the parliamentary defense committee, asserted that partnerships with advanced military forces enhance Kenya's defense capabilities through training and intelligence sharing. He emphasized that the treaties do not constitute a "surrender of sovereignty" and assured that more recent agreements stipulate that foreign troops would face trial in Kenya for serious offenses such as murder.
A month prior to the summit, around 800 French troops arrived in Kenya aboard a navy ship. The agreement grants these visiting French forces primary jurisdiction over their personnel concerning on-duty offenses. This provision mirrors broad legal protections found in past agreements with the UK, which historically shielded British soldiers from Kenyan courts. Such protections have been contentious, highlighted by cases such as the 2012 murder of Agnes Wanjiru and the notorious 2021 Lolldaiga ranch fire.
A significant legal development is the upcoming extradition of a British soldier, following Kenyan courts' determination that he is culpable for Wanjiru's 2012 death, a case linked to the activities of British troops training near Nanyuki, central Kenya. This ongoing scrutiny of foreign military engagements underscores the complex dynamics of international partnerships in Kenya, especially in light of the country’s recent agreements with France and other nations.
