'We want a balanced conversation': Ruto puts Africa's case to France, G7

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President William Ruto has told Africa's international partners the continent no longer seeks loans, demanding instead shared investment and equal voice in the global financial order.

Speaking at the University of Nairobi during the Africa Forward Summit, Ruto drew a sharp line between the old model of African dependency and a new era, he said, the continent intends to drive.

"What we are doing in this continent is not to look for loans any more. We want a balanced conversation, a mutually beneficial conversation. And the conversation is going to be about investment," said Ruto.

The president said Africa brings ideas, resources, assets and human capital to the table and expects its partners to engage on that basis.

"We no longer want a relationship that is one-sided," said Ruto, adding that the summit represented a deliberate shift toward inclusivity and shared responsibility.

The two-day inaugural summit, co-hosted by Kenya and France, brought together heads of state, business leaders and innovators.

Ahead of the summit, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura had noted it marks a milestone for Kenya and the continent, being held outside the Francophonie bloc for the first time, a shift toward a more inclusive, Africa-led partnership founded on mutual respect and shared prosperity.

Ruto announced plans to carry Africa's case to the Group of Seven (G7) summit, where he said he would appeal directly to French President Emmanuel Macron, who chairs the bloc from June, to back two specific reforms.

"We want a functioning, representative, fair, international financial architecture, one that recognises our opportunities and one that does not unfairly judge African economies. We want a fair credit rating mechanism that does not disadvantage our economies," said Ruto.

The second demand, he noted, is recognition of the political and economic weight of 1.4 billion people living on the continent.

"For far too long we were part of others. We do not want to be part of others. We are people," noted Ruto.

Speaking at Lake Naivasha Resort in Nakuru County, Mwaura said the summit, held ahead of France's G7 presidency in June 2026, presents a strategic opportunity to amplify Africa's priorities within global economic and governance discussions, with Ruto set to advocate for equitable partnerships, sustainable financing and Africa's place in global decision-making.

The summit's agenda spans reform of the global financial architecture, climate action, artificial intelligence, agriculture, the blue economy, peace and security, and health systems strengthening, with expected outcomes including the adoption of the Nairobi Declaration on Africa-France Partnership.

Ruto had been expected to push for reforms aimed at making the global financial system more equitable for heavily indebted African nations, a campaign France has pledged to support.

The 2026 summit is the first Africa-France summit held in an African country that is not a former French colony, and the first since the collapse of relations between France and several west African countries, notably Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

Key partnerships to be formalised between Kenya and France include tourism, the blue economy and fisheries, and a memorandum of understanding on energy collaboration, particularly the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Mwaura had earlier said Kenya is preparing to commission a nuclear power plant in Siaya County in 2027, expected to add 1,000 megawatts to the national grid, complementing an ongoing geothermal power expansion of 750 megawatts.

Ahead of the summit, Kenya and France signed 11 agreements aimed at deepening cooperation across strategic sectors, following bilateral talks between Ruto and Macron.

Leaders attending include Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Senegal's Bassirou Diomaye Faye and Côte d'Ivoire's Alassane Ouattara, alongside UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

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