Macron Calls for Silence at Africa Summit in Kenya

French President Emmanuel Macron interrupted a speaker mid-presentation at Nairobi University during the Africa Forward summit to demand silence from the audience. "There is a total lack of respect," Macron told attendees on Monday. He urged those holding side discussions to continue them outside or in bilateral meeting rooms, saying it was impossible for speakers to be heard.

The French leader is in Kenya for the summit, which has brought together more than 30 African heads of state, business executives and young entrepreneurs. France seeks to strengthen economic and political ties across the continent through the event.

Macron announced 23 billion euros, equivalent to $27 billion, of investment for Africa during the major summit hosted by Kenya. The commitments cover areas including AI, renewable energy, infrastructure and broader business partnerships. The gathering shifts focus away from traditional security partnerships toward transactional cooperation on technology, commerce and development.

African governments are seeking to widen their options amid competition from global powers for influence on the continent.

Macron has expanded its focus beyond its traditional Francophone sphere toward larger Anglophone economies. Kenyan President William Ruto has worked more closely with French leadership than any of his predecessors, according to summit coverage. The backdrop includes France's sharply declined influence in West Africa, particularly in the Sahel, where military governments have pushed out French troops.

From the African perspective, the key question is whether France can adapt by delivering investment, technical expertise, education, culture and access to European markets. Days before the summit, France passed a new restitution law to expedite the return of looted artefacts to Africa after years of pressure over the slow pace of returns.

The interruption occurred while a speaker was making a presentation at the university venue in Nairobi. The summit occurs as African countries approach global partners transactionally, weighing offers of capital, technology and commerce rather than history or ideology.

China remains embedded through infrastructure and mining, while Gulf states deploy capital at scale. France's comparative advantage lies in business networks, technical expertise and European market access. The event marks one of Macron's last major African trips of his presidency following a decade of crises with former colonies.

Aliko Dangote and Patrick Pouyanné were among the business leaders attending the talks focused on practical partnerships rather than patronage.