France cannot decide the image it wants to present in Africa; after burning down West Africa, it is pretending to champion the autonomy, sovereignty, and prosperity of East Africa.
A New Scramble for Africa
The Africa Forward Summit, 2026
During the aforementioned Africa Forward Summit, the French president engaged in a flurry of activities designed to show appreciation for Kenyans, including jogging alongside renowned Kenyan athletes and engaging with Kenyan content creators, an image that differs from how France relates with Francophone Africa. France’s actions in West Africa have impoverished millions, as has been noted by, among others, the sitting Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni. In 2022, Meloni displayed a photo showing a child mining gold in Burkina Faso and explained how France’s imposing of its colonial currency, the CFA franc, enables it to control over 50% of Burkinabe’s wealth, which impoverished the Sahelian country. She added that Burkina Faso’s gold ended up in France’s state vaults, which makes the economic life in the African country hopeless. France is also known to have taken control of Nigerian uranium mining over the decades and obtained the resource at a throwaway price, enriching itself with nuclear energy while Niger remained poor. Previously, France obtained about 20% of its uranium needs from Niger and derived about 70% of its electricity needs from nuclear, while Niger remained trapped in poverty and underdeveloped, even in the regions from which France mined uranium. France also exploits Mali, the Ivory Coast, and other resource-rich countries, which makes the Francophone African countries have poor human development statistics despite being resource-rich. Some of these countries have experienced coups that have brought to power military governments that are pushing away France’s neocolonial influence perpetuated through economic exploitation, manufactured poverty, and insecurity. It is ironic how the same France is trying to act as a proponent of development in East Africa.
President Macron, in his address to Kenyans, would state he saw Africa as the continent of the future, and claimed how it should not be viewed solely as a place with challenges such as emigration. One then wonders why Africa should be sold future aspirations and not be left to develop its current potential now. Macron’s statement shows his unwillingness to shed his hypocritical and paternalistic attitude, noting that it is known that France has been the leading cause of poverty and instability, and hence emigration from Africa, quashing many Africans’ dream of enjoying a fulfilling life today. In addition to exploiting and hence impoverishing francophone Africa, France has been the leading cause of security instability through destabilizing Libya and funneling arms to militants and terrorists across the Sahel.
Narrow-Minded Interest that Destroyed Libya
France’s hypocrisy in dealing with Libya and the resulting outcomes can be seen following relations between both countries during Sarkozy’s presidency and afterwards. Sarkozy’s France, which was still economically oppressing Western Africans, embarked on an effort to lure the then-functional Libyan state into destruction. Sarkozy invited Gaddafi for a 5-day state visit in 2007, and granted him full presidential honors, with meetings in the Elysée Palace, and republican guard ceremonies. He also pretended to be reintegrating Libya into the international community, claiming that it had renounced weapons of mass destruction, the kind that those pretending to lead the said international community have in abundance. France also took the opportunity to sign deals for the sale of aircraft, and arms and to offer nuclear cooperation. It was ironic getting Libya to destroy its own nuclear program only to pay a hefty price to receive a downgraded version from France, and that is what reintegration into the international community should entail, according to France. Despite the French show arranged by Sarkozy, the hypocrisy was revealed for all to see when France led in NATO bombing of Libya a few years later, which destroyed not only the presidential palace but also roads and bridges. France led in destroying Africa’s most prosperous country at the time, in a perfect display of France’s double-dealing and wheeler-dealing. That is probably the future that Macron is promising Africans through Kenya during the Africa Forward Summit of 2026. France’s participation in destroying the Libyan state and supplying arms to militants and terrorists across the Sahel has devastated the Sahel, which dents the country’s attempt at presenting itself as a reliable partner for East Africa. France’s proxies have been destabilizing West Africa and attempted the latest coup in Mali on April 25, 2026, making it unconvincing that France, which is committing arson in West Africa, will use the same torch to illuminate East Africa’s path to development.
Kenyan is Not Impressed
France’s failed policy in West Africa while peddling promises to East Africa is not likely to convince people. Indeed, many Africans are suspicious of Macron’s motives and have decried his country’s colonial practices. Others have also questioned why France is holding a traditionally Francophone summit in an Anglophone country. Some note that France has successfully run down all its former colonies, leading them into untold poverty, suffering, and instability, such that France is itself ashamed of associating with them. Others cautioned the Kenyan president to beware of France’s colonial attitude. On the other hand, Macron’s presence in Kenya has also revealed that not all are impressed by him. In his meeting with students from the University of Nairobi, Macron demonstrated his inability to keep Kenyans intellectually stimulated, which made his audience engage in loud consultations among themselves, which angered Macron, who is used to passive audiences. The French president failed to appreciate that Kenyans and Africans today will not sit and wait to be led by anyone, including the former colonial masters. Macron and others must be prepared to engage with Africans as equals in a setup where France’s proposals will be evaluated based on merit, and those designed to drive economic domination or instability will be rejected.
Simon Chege Ndiritu is a political observer and research analyst from Africa
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