Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has joined 30 African heads of state and government who are convening in Nairobi, Kenya for the Africa Forward Summit.

“Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed arrived in Nairobi, Kenya this morning to attend the Africa Forward Summit,” said a statement by the Prime Minister’s Office.

The Africa Forward Summit (a.k.a. the France-Africa summit) has been largely viewed as France’s strategic recalibration for an Africa wide presence, marking a shift from the traditional Françafrique to a wider anglophone reach.

The 2026 Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi (May 11-12) focuses on transforming Africa-France relations into an investment-led, equitable partnership, with a strong emphasis on economic growth, innovation, and sustainability.

Co-hosted by Kenya and France, key themes include green industrialization, digital technology, AI, and reforming global financial architecture.

The summit is expected to conclude later on Tuesday by issuing a communique.French President Emmanuel Macron made a controversial declaration at the Summit saying, “we are the true pan-Africanists” at the Summit that attracted more than 4000 participants.

He said Africa is the youngest continent with an economic growth set to outpace Southeast Asia, adding Africa should never fail for Europe to continue to grow.