France is fundamentally reshaping its African engagement, pivoting from historic post-colonial military and political dominance to a partnership focused on co-investment and trade. Driven by rising anti-French sentiment and military withdrawals from the Sahel, Paris is actively expanding its diplomatic and economic alliances across East and Central Africa.
Kenya recently hosted the Africa- Forward 2026 summit in partnership with France, the first of its kind held outside a Franco-phone country. The summit which brought together African leaders and business executives from across the continent and beyond has sparked criticism at home and abroad. Since the Kenyan president, William Ruto, took office, Kenya has opened itself up to partnerships with Western countries, positioning itself as the most stable and accessible country in the region.
However, France’s colonial past continues to haunt Paris as it has lost influence in several former colonies in West Africa. In response, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, turned to Kenya, a country known for its openness to European investment. So, what are the benefits and losses for either side of the Kenya-France partnership?
France and Kenya signed a defense cooperation agreement in April 2026. It was proceeded by the arrival of 800 French troops in Kenya’s coastal city of Mombasa for a joint training exercise with the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF). After the agreement’s signing, observers warned that Kenya could risk falling under the influence of a neo-colonial power, citing France’s history of unequal partnerships in West Africa.
The automatic five-year renewable deal includes partnerships in maritime security, intelligence peace-keeping, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response. France already has s 600 military personnel in Kenya, with officials saying they will provide training for KDF personnel. This agreement equally grants French forces diplomatic style immunity in Kenya and requires disputes to be resolved through diplomatic channels rather than Kenyan courts.
It also allows convicted French personnel to serve sentences in France and gives Paris primary jurisdiction over offences committed by its soldiers on Kenyan soil. Critics say the agreement favors. France over Kenya and secures Paris’s strategic interests in the West Indian ocean, a key region for global shipping lanes, military positioning, and counter-terrorism operations.
They have also warned that while Kenya has quickly ratified defense cooperation agreements with five countries namely China, Zimbabwe, the Czech Republic, Ethiopia, and France, it could risk coming under the influence of neo-colonial powers, which may interfere in its economic and political affairs, and significantly undermine the country’s sovereignty.
France has also been accused of undermining African leaders, with Macron facing condemnation after saying African leaders in the Sahel forgot to say thank you to France. ‘’None of them (Sahel countries) would have been a sovereign county today if the French army had not been deployed in the region,’’ Macron told French Ambassadors in Paris in January 2025.
For France, Kenya offers political stability, economic opportunities, and strategic access to the West Indian ocean. For Kenya, the partnership promises investment, infrastructure development, security cooperation, and increased international influence. France is currently Kenya’s fourth largest consumer of French products in East Africa. Today, France ranks among the largest investors in Kenya, having invested 1.8 billion euros ($2.1bn) over the past decade.
As of 2026, at least 140 French companies reportedly operate in Kenya, up from 40 in 2013, showing growing interest in the Kenyan economy. In March 2026, Business France East Africa, the French agency promoting business ventures between French companies and East Africa, in partnership with the French Chamber of Commerce In Kenya launched a business guide to help French investors navigate opportunities in the country. France is also the fifth-largest provider of foreign direct investment in Kenya, supporting about 46,000 direct jobs.
Critics, however, argue that while the French businesses have easy access to the Kenyan market, and French nationals have visa-free entry to Kenya, Kenyan citizens are not afforded the same privileges, casting doubt on whether the partnership is truly equal.
The France-Kenya summit is expected to mark a significant turning point in relations between the two countries and, potentially, in France ’s engagement with Anglo-phone Africa at a time when global powers are competing for influence on the continent.
However, this summit may likely intensify debate over sovereignty, accountability, and whether the relationship is truly balanced. Since 2024, Kenya has faced deadly waves of political unrest, with citizens protesting against President Ruto’s unpopular policies, including crackdowns on demonstrations and restrictions on press freedom.
If Kenya were to allow French forces permanent residence in the country, this could further inflame tensions, as the government braces for potential protests ahead of the country’s budget season. Kenya’s politician, Caleb Hamisi, told AL-Jazeera that the defense agreement leaves Kenya vulnerable as a proxy in international disputes, and has become highly unpopular among Kenyans.
He pointed out the risk that foreign forces stationed in the country could involve Kenya in military operations or disputes that serve the strategic interests of other powers, rather than Kenya’s national priorities. In fact, the agreement has created another chapter of foreign influence in Africa disguised as cooperation.
*Nuel Yusuf writes from Kaduna
