Al Jazeera reports: Many have observed that the summit comes as France’s influence in Africa has faded, with French forces recently forced to withdraw from former colonies. Macron aims to renew France’s engagement with the African continent, which he said he views as a “whole”, while positioning Europe as a more reliable trade partner than China or the United States. Advertisement In advance of the summit, Macron told Paris-based magazine The Africa Report that colonialism could no longer be blamed for all of Africa’s challenges.
“We must not exonerate from all responsibility the seven decades that followed independence,” he said, calling on African leaders to improve governance.Speaking at the summit, Macron also said the process of returning African artworks looted during the colonial era had become “unstoppable”. The French parliament last week passed a law paving the way for the government to return looted African cultural artefacts.At a time when many African nations, particularly in the Sahel region, are reducing or expelling foreign military forces, Kenya is hosting a growing international military presence. A month before the summit, about 800 French soldiers arrived in Kenya on a navy ship.Kenyan President William Ruto praised his relationship with France, saying, “We should no longer think in terms of aid and loans, but rather in terms of investment and what Africa has to offer.”
Originally reported by Al Jazeera. This story has been edited and re-presented by BRIC Team.
