LIVE: President Ruto hosts Africa Forward Summit, Nairobi.

Added: 2026-05-19

[00:00:00]Excellence president.

[00:00:30]African restaurant.

[00:00:49]Madam hospitality The champion of the freak.

[00:01:34]Mercy.

[00:01:38]Mercy.

[00:02:02]Football performance discipline.

[00:02:21]sport profession.

[00:02:40]Legend.

[00:02:55]Uh, Leagal Africa.

[00:03:10]for the partners.

[00:03:38]Spaceport.

[00:04:07]Uh, socialism Infrastructure collaboration security.

[00:05:13]African prophet De Merc allow me to speak in English now again to turn to you uh excellency president Boo. So you've stepped into leadership at a time when the world is looking at Botswana as a hub for innovation and stability. We know that sport is a massive uh soft power tool. And so can you tell us how can your country use its success on the track? I want to say to unlock new offfield opportunities as well for our youth and our communities.

[00:06:24]>> Well, thank you very much.

[00:06:27]Let me begin by acknowledging his excellency the president of Kenya and the host of the summit.

[00:06:40]Recognize President Mcron, co-host.

[00:06:45]Recognize my good friend and brother Jumar Fi, President of the Republic of Sineagal.

[00:06:54]How I wish this were relay race because then we would deploy the blistering pace the vitality of the Republic of Botswana, the champions.

[00:07:14]But let me thank all of my colleagues here for being here and thank President R for his hospitality and generosity since we arrived here.

[00:07:30]Africa stands at a defining moment recognize across our continent that sport is no longer merely a recreational activity or entertainment platform.

[00:07:44]It is a unifying force and more importantly it's an investment opportunity that can unlock employment, tourism, infrastructure, development, youth empowerment and regional integration.

[00:08:00]We've seen in Botswana fairly recently, a few days ago, you saw one of the most awesome spectacles of athletics leading to breaking records, personal bests, championship record times.

[00:08:23]All these took place in Botswan. You also saw for the first time and in the most amazing fashion that Botswana, the world's largest producer of diamonds by value, introduced something spectacularly different and embedded in the medals that were given to the successful athletes, the natural diamond.

[00:08:54]We made a statement with that. We signaled to the world firstly that the natural diamond carries stories, carries epic memories. It's about lives and livelihoods of real people.

[00:09:10]That infrastructure has been developed from this resource and will continue to be developed. And so sport has helped us to make playing to the world the spectacular achievements that can be made through sport and through proper utilization of the mineral wealth of any and every country. We are grateful that we are here today. We look forward to creating partnerships. We have uh President Mipe here who re who knows and who saw that towards the end of the contest that we held in Botswana.

[00:09:58]There were two vicious competitors brothers towards Botswana and South Africa and they pushed each other hard as we always do in sport. We support each other. We collaborate with each other.

[00:10:14]We challenge each other. We push each other hard to achieve the highest standards of excellence in the different sporting codes. And we saw that between Botswana and South Africa. They deployed their very best. They came ready to compete. They competed and they did admirably. So we are grateful for all these and we look forward to more. And we say to all of you, if you want world records to be broken, you want to feel the vibe, the funk of sport and the unity that it brings, make sure most of your activities are held in Botswana.

[00:10:53]Thank you very much.

[00:10:54]>> Oh, thank you so much.

[00:10:56]Is that an invitation, excellency, to Botswana?

[00:11:01]Is that an invitation, Excellency President Boo to Botswana?

[00:11:06]Oh, well, is this an invitation to Botswana? Okay, it's well noted. Yeah.

[00:11:11]So, we're going to uh No now we're going to Kali and now we're going to Botswana as well. Thank you so much.

[00:11:19]Excellence.

[00:11:31]Fore Mercy.

[00:12:18]Shaw.

[00:12:20]>> It's uh the country in which people run the marathon in less than two hours.

[00:12:25]That's quite a good reference. And at the end of marathons and other races and football and rugby at seven, you are great as well. And the African continent is a great sports continent. It was recalled. But we need to remember that in 2026 there will be the youth Olympics in Seneagal. In 2028 the uh AFCON in the region Kenya Tanzania Uganda and in 2030 the World Cup in the Mediterranean area with Morocco. There's not one continent exposed to major sports events as the African continent at least in the years to come and that has so many athletes and as Patricia said earlier very often we talk about the great European uh um champions but their roots their origins are shared with the African continent very often and in France when we talk about our footballers well it's it's it's very fortunate to have them and Sometimes we have uh uh exported our cultures to the uh African continent and Claude is here knows that and the president ordered him earlier on. So my message is that it's very important uh what we are doing here. It's a question of education first. Everywhere we help developing sports apart from major events and competitions and that's why the youth Olympics in Sineagal are so important. we uh give uh young people the ability to become emancipated and uh and to be empowered. It's a strategy that we uh decided to implement in France, but we want the same for the African continent because we teach young people rules, sports discipline. We uh teach them to be in a team. We give them uh trust, confidence, confidence, self-confidence. We help them explore their talents. a young uh person who is great at running, is not necessarily very good academically, but it uh helps them uh understand they have abilities and uh and maybe go to universities and maybe it helps people young people who have dropped out to have a better future. Tomorrow we'll have a session on health. It's the best prevention policy sports I mean and one of the plagues in the richest countries and in several African countries because of uh of uh food and nutrition modes. One of the major plates for young adults is obesity.

[00:15:05]The spa >> best prevention is not provided by the pharmaceutical industry but by sports sports and use that this represents a real investment policy.

[00:15:32]Artificial basketed.

[00:16:10]politic.

[00:16:13]Cat innovative and few years after we were at the with the great federation FIFA others NBA um and we launched this program and from Kegali to Librivville throughout the whole African continent we created these fields and we invested hundreds of millions of euros in these infrastructures and programs with uh orange, sonate, lady for winwin uh Africa and other groups uh that have enabled us to develop all these projects and that we connected with training of young people and we involve many young people in these uh training programs through thanks to the infrastructure built uh in the whole continent that I was proud to be in Kali a few years ago for the first competition that was uh linked with NBA a basketball competition between clubs.

[00:17:44]It was a great moment when sports started e emerging on the African continent and what uh AFCON and FIFA do with you is a great driver for development. So policy for uh young people for infrastructure and in conclusion I'd like to add that this is a great uh lever for uh growth and creation of wealth for the continent and this is something that is also an opportunity to seize because when you look at what sports represents and all the uh uh branches uh of sports uh it's 2% of the uh global all uh G uh GDP only.5% in Africa and it means something very simple sports economy is not sufficiently structured on the African continent sometimes it's still too informal which is uh uh one of the problems that exist in many other areas and you have the raw material let us say but it's used in other continents and sorry to make this comparison but you have the best in the world and uh they will they play in other competitions and for other clubs which is not good for the African.

[00:19:04]So what you need to do, what we want to do with you is to uh to really develop this human capital to transform this uh um um area from informal to formal and for this African human capital to reveal itself in Africa and not go to other countries to create wealth. And if we help uh the the African continent grow its uh uh GDP which you are and we are going to investments and if at the same time we um show what sports represents from 0.5% to 2% of the GDP well it will be a revolution. It will create wealth and we are willing is not structured and we completed the road map for the uh sports uh area in France. um uh our friend here Olivier uh helped um helped us in this endeavor and we created in these 10 years many jobs in our country and all our athletes uh started to export themselves better. So we're ready to transfer our knowledge and explain to you how we manage this.

[00:20:43]We started discussions with Seneagal and the president. So if we can use and help Sanle like laboratory and I know my friend here uh my my here if he says we do it and and I have another brother here who could say I bet you want to do it with as well because it creates value it creates wealth. It helps our the athletes to be better recognized and to make a living on the African continent.

[00:21:13]That's my belief. sports is at the crossroads between uh education uh growth and and the economy. Uh I think your message when we invest in sport we invest in people when we invest in people we invest in our future. Thank you very much. And to conclude, allow me to now turn to you your excellency president because we've mentioned it. We are really really standing this form of sports earlier today.

[00:21:46]We've seen and I live in London. We've seen what Sebastian Sawe accomplished just a few days ago. But I want to say as well that your country breaks many records notably in uh tech and finance.

[00:21:58]This is the home of Empessa as well.

[00:22:00]We've got equity. We've got KCB. They're helping millions of customers every year. So, I want to ask you, excellency, can we make sport as powerful an economic engine as tech and finance? And what is your commitment to making this transition a reality?

[00:22:19]Thank you very much, President Mcron, my good brother Boo, president of uh Botswana, President Fren, good afternoon or is it good evening and welcome to the Nairobi University.

[00:22:40]Um just so that you know uh Nairobi University is my alma m. I came here first day 14th of July 1987.

[00:22:56]I stepped in those grounds there and registered myself as a student here. I have been a student ever since. Um I did my undergrad here. I did my my postgraduate here. I did my PhD here and therefore uh this is home. So welcome home to all of you who are coming here.

[00:23:16]Secondly, uh I had Mktar. He said he's he played for his country.

[00:23:23]Mktar I didn't make it to play for my country but I was in the volleyball team of Nairobi University. So I I tried but I am greatly honored to join you for this very important dialogue on the commercialization of sports and it's growing to drive economic transformation, innovation and opportunity across our continent, not just in Kenya. Africa today is the youngest continent on Earth. More than 1 billion Africans are below the age of 35. That is not simply a statistic.

[00:24:13]It is a historic opportunity.

[00:24:17]An opportunity to build one of the world's most dynamic sports economies.

[00:24:23]And I'm happy that we are discussing sports and money and economies. An opportunity to turn talent into enterprise, passion into prosperity, and potential into real power. Sports can no longer be viewed merely as a recreation or for competition purposes. Today, President Mcron in the morning uh went for a competition with Elliot Kipchog.

[00:24:55]>> I lost.

[00:24:56]>> He didn't.

[00:24:57]>> I lost.

[00:24:59]>> And by the way, I have heard Boo and he say correctly that uh if you want relay, please find your play your your way to Botswana and if you want good football, find your way to Sagal. But if you want real good international worldclass athletics, this is the place where history is made.

[00:25:28]This is the place where the first man on earth has run marathon under two hours.

[00:25:40]Sebastian, we're very proud of Sebastian Sawe. I mean, a man who went to school uh in a in a school uh primary school called Jayukta Primary School. Many of you will not know where Jaya is. But he has made history today. Sports is industry. Sports is infrastructure. Sports is investment.

[00:26:06]Sports is culture, diplomacy, technology, tourism, and of course, jobs. Across the world, sports generates billions of dollars every year through broadcasting, infrastructure, manufacturing, entertainment, tourism, technology, and talent development. Africa must not stand at the margins of this global industry.

[00:26:37]Africa must stand at its center.

[00:26:44]That is why Kenya has deliberately positioned sports as a pillar in our bottom-up economic transformation agenda because we recognize that it can unlock enterprise, livelihoods, national competitiveness and of course hope among us millions of our young people. As the gateway to eastern central Africa, Kenya brings together two very unique advantages. Number one, our globally celebrated identity as the home of champions. And I say that and our internationally recognized high altitude training environment which continues to attract elite athletes and institutions from around the world. If you go to my hometown in Elit, you will find everybody running from every part of the world. But they never beat Kenyans.

[00:27:44]This advantage is strengthened by something even more powerful. a youthful, innovative, digitally connected generation that is positioning Kenya not only as a global talent incubator but as an emerging hub for sports, media, technology, wellness, tourism, entertainment and high performance industries. The home of Empessa is right here. We were told earlier today that 1.2 2 billion people in this continent and abroad use mobile money transfer.

[00:28:24]Invested where?

[00:28:27]In Kenya.

[00:28:29]From our experience, Africa's future lies in building integrated sports ecosystems supported by harmonized priorities and policies, private sector participation, regional partnerships, and sustainable financing. That's why my good friend Macron here comes through as a partner. The time has come not only to produce talent but to build Africanowned sports economies that create African prosperity.

[00:29:09]Across Africa, governments are increasingly recognizing that sports infrastructure must serve purposes beyond ceremonial use.

[00:29:21]A stadium, for example, cannot remain idle six days a week. An arena cannot survive on a plow alone once in a while.

[00:29:33]A modern sports infrastructure must function as an integrated commercial ecosystem bringing together sports, hospitality, retail, media production, conferencing, recreation and digital broadcasting while generating revenue, attracting investment, creating jobs and stimulating economies. It has to be an ecosystem in Kenya.

[00:30:04]That future is already taking shape here in East Africa in preparations for APCON 2027 and you've heard President MB say this. Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania under the Pamoja partnership are making transformative investments in sports infrastructure.

[00:30:25]Right here in Nairobi, we are developing the Talanta Sports City, not stadium, city anchored by the worldclass Raila Odinga Sports Stadium alongside state-of-the-art training facilities, hospitality, infrastructure, commercial spaces, including media production centers and smart mobility systems. And aside from this, we are also upgrading two other stadia, Kasarani and Yayo International Stadium while constructing county stadia, regionalmies and high performance training centers across the country. My good friend um Mep came to uh sign off on some of our infrastructure projects that we are developing to facilitate the hosting of AFCON. And apart from these three I have mentioned, we are building another 27 stadia across Kenya. And when I say stadia, I am not talking about a running track. I am talking about an a whole ecosystem. One that has entertainment joints, one that has recreational facility, one that has film studio, one that has um uh creative economy spaces, one that has a whole ecosystem, ICT hubs, G2 labs where young people can access digital jobs. So we are building a whole ecosystem around sports because our ambition is not simply to host tournaments. Our ambition is to build an ecosystem. We are also positioning Nairobi as one of Africa's leading creative and entertainment capitals through investment in audiovisisual infrastructure, film incentives, digital monetization systems, affordable creative studios and partnerships that cement and connect African creatives to global markets.

[00:32:39]Let me conclude this by saying we are also advancing this vision. Kenya recently signed an agreement with Zarya Group and Ujiri came to see me on this.

[00:32:52]A household name in global basketball and sports development to develop a modern arena and entertainment district within Nairobi railway city just a few minutes from here. We will be putting up an arena there. And today in this conference uh your excellency we will also be signing a contract with another group to deal with another arena in the bombers of Kenya so that we can build this as a hub for entertainment in our region. This is an uh an investment of close to $130 million to support development of modern purpose indoor arenas across uh across our nation.

[00:33:38]Together, these initiatives are expected to strengthen Nairobi's position as a regional uh mice creative and investment hub while creating thousands of jobs and opening new opportunities for African youth. Let me conclude this. I know we are all pressed for time uh to say how we appreciate my colleagues who are here. Thank you very much for finding time to share this moment with us in Nairobi. You can count on our support.

[00:34:10]You can count on our goodwill and we are going to continue to build spaces that will make sure that we take this forward in the coming weeks. I was very impressed to see the numbers that Mepa said. 2.5 billion people watched AFCON in Morocco. Did you mean Morocco or Kenya?

[00:34:35]So what do you estimate Kenya to be? So we are waiting >> 6.9 6.1 billion 4.2 billion you know digital uh followers. So we are looking forward to that next year right here in Nairobi as we share the moment with our sister countries Tanzania and Uganda.

[00:34:54]Thank you very much.

[00:35:02]Thank you so much, excellency president, excellency president Bo of Botswana, President F of Sagal, and President Macron of France. We've heard our excellencies loud and clear. The time is now. The place is Africa. Thank you for your vision, your commitment to harness the power of sport to build a better future for our continent. Thank you all as well in the audience. Good afternoon.

[00:35:40]Thank you so much.

[00:35:54]Heat. Heat.

[00:36:54]Come on.

[00:37:10]Heat.

[00:37:28]Heat up here.

[00:39:21]Two cup of sugar.

[00:39:31]Excuse me. Hey. Hey.

[00:39:54]Thank you.

[00:39:57]Let's move together.

[00:40:30]What?

[00:40:46]America speaks.

[00:41:34]Heat. Heat.

[00:43:24]Hello.

[00:43:30]Tell me.

[00:46:03]Don't fool me. Don't me. Don't fool me.

[00:46:17]Yes.

[00:46:29]I know. I know.

[00:46:39]Thanks so much.

[00:46:57]No, no, no.

[00:47:36]How do you president? enjoying the beautiful air, the beautiful, the beautiful atmosphere in Nairobi from the University of Nairobi Library.

[00:48:38]President of the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency President William R.

[00:48:44]President of the Republic of Senagal, France, His Excellency, President Mron, President Hello.

[00:49:38]It's just We have journalists coming from this side. Let's clear. Let's clear. Let's clear.

[00:49:55]Okay.

[00:50:19]Thank you very much.

[00:50:33]So the truck where the president live.

[00:50:46]>> No, no, no. They're passing.

[00:50:49]>> No. Athletes are coming.

[00:50:51]No, no, no. You're blocking me. I'm liable.

[00:51:04]Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. After I go. I don't I don't I don't just I just didn't know Let's go.

[00:52:57]together with me to to talk about peace, education and sports from Kakuma in 7 days. We are trying for one but you will receive us. Thank you.

[00:53:09]So please don't push one another and don't push our cars.

[00:53:17]1 2 3 1 our coaches, our players will demonstrate to you Those of course are the champions of the Kenyan Premier League who are right here to welcome your excellency. We also have the CEO of NBA Africa that is Claire Akamanzi.

[00:54:29]We also have the NBA Africa country director Michael Finley. We also have some of our top football players including a pleasure to meet the microphone.

[00:55:10]Thank you guys. Thank you very much.

[00:55:12]>> All right. Thank you very much. At this juncture, we'd like to request of course you open up the basketball court so the excellencies can be able to see a drill by our teams. coaches, bring your players of course here and of course I will allow uh the country director of NBA Africa, Michael Finley, right here of course to engage. This is the CEO of NBA Africa and country director of Michael Michael Finley.

[00:55:42]Our teams of course who are here to do the drill and the teams of course for the basketball to come over. It is your time to shine. We have the excellencies here.

[00:55:56]You never know. President Mcron, President William R, and President Dio might want to play basketball. You just never know. Your Excellency.

[00:56:10]All right.

[00:56:31]All right, your president, excellencies, we have drills that you'll be able to watch from our young boys and girls who have benefited from the basketball experience program, a program uh of course that has been cooperated by the French Development Agency that is AMD and also MBA. Africa and implemented by the Kenya Red Cross.

[00:57:00]Your excellencies and your excellencies, these boys and girls already played several matches and it will be our humble request. You'll be awarding the winners in the boys in the different categories. They'll be happy of course to receive that trophy from you. Those trophies and medals will make their way here.

[00:57:36]Kenya is the last destination and the government of Kenya has been very instrumental in making it successful.

[00:57:42]Many kids have benefited those living with disabilities. There are many costs that have been upgraded and many lives that have been changed. So in we say >> and your excellency also this players we have also those who have hearing impairment who have been included in these teams. So there's an inclusion component under the basketball experience where those with hearing impairment, physical impairment and visual impairment are given an opportunity to play basketball. And that's why of course that relationship NBA Africa the French Development Agency through the implementation of the Kenya Red Cross they get an opportunity to play this game. Recently your excellency you are aware at the Isia school of the deaf in Kajiad County recently through the PS Jakob Fikirini they launched that program whereby this visually impaired and physically impaired again an opportunity to play this game your excellency so thank you of course to France for this kind of collaboration right now I know your excellencies you like to play uh basketball but we request at this time to call the winners blue team in the girls category have won gold and of course we'll request that particular trophy or that um presentation of the award. Blue team girls have received gold after winning their matches that were played right here at the University of Nairobi.

[00:59:21]>> As you can see they are very excited.

[00:59:24]blue team in the girls category as you bring the trophy.

[00:59:31]And as the blue team comes, >> please give me the trophy.

[00:59:41]>> A round of applause, please.

[00:59:43]>> Round of applause. That is the trophy.

[00:59:46]Your excellency, >> the second one, >> the orange team, team number in the boys category has won Congratulations.

[01:00:08]>> Round of applause for them.

[01:00:13]>> Yes.

[01:00:18]Sign language.

[01:00:20]>> Well done to the teams. Congratulations, your excellency.

[01:00:26]51,000 boys and girls, your excellencies have benefited from basketball experience.

[01:00:33]51,000 in 128 schools across Kenya.

[01:00:38]Thank you to France and Kenya relationship. So, let's call up orange team in the boys category. Orange team, thank you very much for the blue team.

[01:00:47]Well done. Congratulations, Maki. And of course, claps to our blue team. Let's call the orange team in the boys category or the photo session.

[01:00:57]>> Oh yes, it's very important for this photo session.

[01:01:01]>> The let us move back to allow the photo session and clear the way we have some nice drone shots.

[01:01:09]>> The presidents are having a photo with the winner, blue team girls in basketball.

[01:01:15]>> Let's take a step backward everyone. One step backward, please. One step backward.

[01:01:22]>> Smile for the camera.

[01:01:30]>> Media, we request you to move just behind because so you can get enough space to get that beautiful photo.

[01:01:37]Media, we request you to move from media. We request you to remove behind Taffadali.

[01:01:48]Thank you very much. Blue team in the girls category in basketball. Right now, I'd like to call the orange team in the boys category. orange team in the boys category to receive their award from president of the republic of Kenya, president of the republic of France and the president of the republic of sineagal.

[01:02:15]We request of course the excellencies to award the trophy.

[01:02:22]So we request the president of France, your excellency Emmanuel Macron to award this particular award to the orange team boys, the orange team in basketball.

[01:02:38]>> That is award.

[01:02:41]>> Round of applause.

[01:02:43]>> Well done. Congratulations.

[01:02:45]Smile for the camera, your excellencies.

[01:02:48]A photo asant Kenya Basketball Federation President Hilme Ali for actually handing that trophy to Bill. Let's have a photo.

[01:02:57]>> A photo with the excellencies.

[01:03:08]>> All right. Please journalists, we request you to move behind to get a good photo.

[01:03:22]All right, we are happy the secretary general of Kenya Basketball Federation together with the president are here with the excellencies 2026 sports demonstrations. Smile for the camera. It's very important for that. That picture is being beamed over across the world right now.

[01:03:48]We request the excellencies after this photo.

[01:04:19]on the football pitch. The others on the perimeter on the extremes only allow the excellencies on the football pitch.

[01:04:30]We also have former French star and player Claude de Roy who most of you know very well in terms of coaching in Africa. One of the best coaches that Africa has ever had in the different countries that's Claude Deoy who is amongst us Asante Sana. We request the humbly our >> kindly let us only let the presidents enter the pitch.

[01:04:53]>> Thank you very much.

[01:04:55]>> Only the presidents in the field. Kindly let us only let the presidents in the field.

[01:05:00]>> Only the presidents.

[01:05:02]>> Thank you very much.

[01:05:03]>> And your excellency, you'll interact with some of these boys there. There your excellencies.

[01:05:12]>> For those who don't know, the president of France really loves football and he would want to showcase their skills.

[01:05:18]There we go. A round of applause.

[01:05:20]>> Kenya taking the football. Passing to France. France passing to Seneagal.

[01:05:24]Seneagal wondering where the ball is going. That's a good touch by President William R. A good touch there. Of course, moving left touch. We wonder why our national team doesn't have strikers yet. We have good players. Well done, your excellencies.

[01:05:38]>> Those on the track, please clear as the cross country are coming back.

[01:05:41]>> Asant Sana, >> those on the track, please clear the track too. The cross country are arriving.

[01:05:47]>> Presidents remember of course we had different teams here. uh teams from football mass alive and kicking international French school Angaza sports and development center your excellencies they play different games and we have winners two winners of course your excellencies will be able to award trophies and of course shake a with them your excellency President William R on March 1st 2020 24 you did press ups at the Talanta sport city when we are inaugurating I hope you'll be doing the same when you're doing the uh the penalty shootout. Right now I would like to request the coaches to bring the gold winner in the football category.

[01:06:29]Football mass team B.

[01:06:34]Gold will be awarded to football mass B.

[01:06:38]So the trophies will be award presidents we request your presence here. present.

[01:06:47]>> I'd like to ask you all to clear the tracks as our athletes are coming back.

[01:06:52]>> Football mass team B.

[01:06:55]Football mass team B, we request your presence here and then after football mass B, French school B will be.

[01:07:06]So, football mass team B, French school team B.

[01:07:12]>> We have the first cross country.

[01:07:14]>> We have the winners of the cross country arriving now.

[01:07:17]>> All right.

[01:07:18]>> So, let's clear the >> requesting for >> all right. Football mass team B, please.

[01:07:24]The trophy to be for the gold award.

[01:07:27]Football mass team B is here.

[01:07:30]So we are requesting for the trophy to be brought to us as the athletes are making their way to the finish line.

[01:07:36]>> We actually have the first five athletes who have arrived but we will finish with football and then award this football.

[01:07:43]>> Okay. We will start with a French silver award.

[01:07:47]>> No no this is number one.

[01:07:50]>> So presidents please award the silver.

[01:07:54]I would like to request the presidents, his excellency President William R for football uh French team B to award the trophy.

[01:08:07]This is French school team B. They won silver your excellency in the football tournament that we played right here. So please football French school walk towards the excellencies.

[01:08:21]Your Excellency, this is the team that played very wonderful football. Well done. Congratulations.

[01:08:31]Football Mass team B. Remember, Football Mass is one of the civil society organizations that engages in football development at the grassroot level.

[01:08:48]>> All right. Thank you very much.

[01:08:52]Well done. You might need a photo with the president. French school team B, please.

[01:08:58]President, we request you to have a photo with the team. French school team B, have a photo with the presidents.

[01:09:06]Come with a trophy to have a photo.

[01:09:10]Have a photo.

[01:09:20]All right, let's have that photo. Let's move back for the camera people to have their moment and request our VIPs also to have their seats as we wait for the athletics sequence of this particular sports demonstration.

[01:09:40]This is the silver award, your excellency. Thank you very much. And finally, your excellency to to greet of course the team that won gold as uh that is the football mass. Football mask, please.

[01:09:54]All right. Thank you very much. Uh French school team.

[01:09:58]Well done. Congratulations for winning silver in the football and we can request you of course to leave the football pitch.

[01:10:05]All right. We request you. Thank you very much. Players, we can move again.

[01:10:09]Asant Sana, thank you. We can move out of the football pitch. Players, let's move out of the pitch.

[01:10:18]Let's move out of the pitch. Thank you very much. As Santis Sana, congratulations for winning silver.

[01:10:24]Your excellencies, I'll request you to say hello and take a photo with a team that won gold in this particular competition and that is football mask.

[01:10:32]Please come and please football mask come and say hello to your presidents.

[01:10:36]I've then you'll take a photo.

[01:10:37]>> Gold trophy. We are waiting for that gold trophy. Whatever it is, if it comes or not, we shall of course have a photo session. We are the champions, your excellency.

[01:10:47]>> The trophy.

[01:10:52]This is a football mask. Your excellencies, these are the team that won this particular tournament >> with the gold trophy to bring >> and we request anyone person with that gold trophy for football. We are inquiring it right now.

[01:11:05]Well done. Now you can stand in front of the excellencies coach.

[01:11:11]Stand in front of the excellencies and take a photo or squat players to come in front and the coaches of course to stand to have a photo. Squat in front of the president. Squat in front of the presence. Squat. Squat. Some of you can squat so you can have a photo.

[01:11:25]Squat. Yes. Squat in front.

[01:11:28]Coach. Coach, please for the photo.

[01:11:32]All right. There you are. The players smile for that photo.

[01:11:38]Please smile for the photo before you.

[01:11:39]You'll extend the cards. Don't worry.

[01:11:41]Coach for the camera.

[01:11:43]>> After this, we are requesting the masses to move to the pavilion. Yes.

[01:11:46]>> As the president head to the finish line of the cross country where they will award the winners of the cross country.

[01:11:52]>> At this juncture, your excellencies, after the players are left, we have gifts for you. We have footballs for you your excellency president uh our president for France our president for Kenya and also president for sineagal we have footballs being presented to us your excellency there are gifts of football that will be presented to you.

[01:12:23]So we are experiencing the finish of the cross country. I'd like everyone to clear the track please.

[01:12:32]Those walking on the track, their kids still arriving.

[01:12:34]>> Yeah. The VIPs to please get uh get clear the track for the athletes who are finishing the race. At this juncture, we have >> clear the track >> and footballs from FIFA and also from the football Kenya Federation and the Conferation of African Football.

[01:12:49]Remember Kenya is co-hosting the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 with Uganda and Tanzania. Your Excellencies, these are some of the footballs. Please, let's make way for the presidents to be handed the football gifts.

[01:13:08]Your Excellency, those are footballs that will be of course be used um during the Africa Cup of Nations. Remember Kenya is co-hosting that huge spectacle.

[01:13:20]Well done. Thank you so much President of France. Thank you very much president of Kenya and thank you president of the Republic of Seneagalos the presence as they engage in the signing and receiving the gifts asant sana. Thank you French ambassador to Kenya your excellency Arnold as they receive the gifts is a sign of course I pray I pray >> of that commitment. Remember this is the Africa Forward Summit, sports demonstrations, basketball, football and athletics.

[01:13:57]We are waiting for athletics anytime to be making their way >> in the athletics would like to request.

[01:14:04]>> Yes, our leaders will go to the finish line of the cross country where they will award the marathon and the cross country winners. In the men's category, the winner is Oadia. Number two is Dennis Kiprop and number three is Meshak. Your Excellency, please be ready to award them their their prizes. Obadia number one in the men's category >> number two and Meshak number three in athletics. In the ladies category, Lona Cherono number one, Ruth Chapto number two, and Ruth Cheruto number three. In the girls category, Lona Cherono number one, Ruth Chepto number two, Ruth Cheruto number three as the winners or the top three in the races that I've already done here at the cross country at Africa forward summit sports. Right now they are being awarded their gold medals, their silver medal and their bronze medal by the excellency the president of Kenya, the president of France and the president of Seneagal.

[01:15:09]Please take one step behind. All journalists, please take one step behind. Let's create more space. Please >> step behind your excellencies for honoring this particular occasion and awarding our top athletes. Your excellency Asante Sana >> for this occasion.

[01:15:30]>> Like just to uh engage with the president a little bit.

[01:15:34]>> Excuse me. Excuse me.

[01:15:37]Your excellency.

[01:15:40]>> Okay. Please let us come to the finish line where you will take the picture with the athletes. Asant, your excellencies, >> we please come to the finish line.

[01:15:47]>> Congratulations. We request everybody else to remain where they are as we allow the excellency president.

[01:15:55]>> Please come to the finish line with athletes for the final.

[01:15:59]>> Remain where you are.

[01:16:06]The presidents of course >> we are awarding the lady vis uh the girls who are we awarding the winners in the ladies category we are waiting for the medals for the ladies they should be here but the presidents are engaging with them talking with them we request them yeah the ladies medals kindly we request the medals for the ladies and also take a photo with the president as the medals come let's have a photo session with the presidents the winners in the ladies category Congratulations.

[01:16:37]Well done. Smile for the camera. This photo is beaming live across the globe.

[01:16:42]Asante Sana, your excellency presidents.

[01:16:44]Well done to the number one to three in the girls category in the cross country race about 2 to 4 kilometers that were held within within here at the University of Nairobi. Well done to the winners. Well done to the coaches and well done to our legend Tegar Lorupe for ensuring that these athletes are trained and prepared. House 42 and House of coaches congratulations at Kipran and Deathron well done for such a great event.

[01:17:12]>> Okay, clear the finish line please.

[01:17:14]>> We request of course after the award >> the awarding of the medals have finally arrived. Thank you very much, Asante Sana. As we seeing some of the other finishers in the cross country coming in as the presidents award finally the medals to the winners in the ladies category, our legend Tegla Larupe, well done for nurturing and growing this talent.

[01:17:47]Congratulations and well done. That's a photo for many many ages that you'll be be putting as a portrait somewhere in the in a hall of fame.

[01:18:02]As Santees sana, thank you excellency president uh President William R. Thank you president um president of France Macron. Thank you president of sagali for really coming to award our trophy.

[01:18:15]At this juncture, ladies and gentlemen, we have awarded both the athletes for men and women's category. Right now, we request as they are given their trophies.

[01:18:32]Kipran well done. Kipran are very involved in nurturing these talents and these are some of their products and they will be definitely making their way into glory. Asant round of applause as our leaders exit.

[01:18:47]>> Thank you very much your excellencies for making time. I know they were just short of time. They are supposed to go back to the business forum. We are Heat. Heat.

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[01:45:32]As you can get down, And again, just a reminder that after the presidential closing ceremony, please remain behind. We still some have some exciting uh panels that are going to be taking place.

[01:52:50]Let us kindly We may take our seats, please.

[01:53:36]Your excellenc is welcome to excellence.

[01:53:54]President Kenya Muponance.

[01:54:15]William excellency.

[01:54:24]>> Thank you.

[01:54:32]Okay. Your excellency my good brother >> chair of the Africa Forward Summit 2026 excellencies heads of state and government honorable ministers captains of industry distinguished delegates business people entrepreneurs innovators ladies and gentlemen we gather together here in Nairobi at a very defining moment for this continent of ours and for the future of global partnership.

[01:55:14]On behalf of the government and people of Kenya, I warmly welcome all of you to this city of Nairobi.

[01:55:26]Welcome.

[01:55:29]This city builds very strong foundations established by successful what was successfully done by inspire and connect business forum that was the precursor for this meeting we are having here today throughout today engagements here I am told have been witnessed more than we've witnessed more productive business engagements under liber operations. We have witnessed connections. We have witnessed exchange.

[01:56:06]We have witnessed the power of culture, sports, enterprise and peopleto-people engagement coming together to reflect the growing dynamism of Africa France cooperation.

[01:56:26]These interactions have reaffirmed our shared commitment to deepen economic collaboration, expand trade and investment, strengthen cultural ties, and advance a partnership grounded in mutual respect, shared prosperity and common ambition.

[01:56:50]This forum has renewed the spirit of engagement between Africa and France and strengthened the foundation upon which a new era of strategic cooperation can now be effectively built as business leaders, investors, innovators and policy makers from Africa, France and beyond gather here today the depth of today's conversation and the quality of engagement have demonstrated one thing very very clearly. The opportunities for collaboration between Africa and France are immense, diverse and transformational.

[01:57:39]Africa continues to consolidate its position as one of the world's most attractive investment destinations supported by improving macroeconomic fundamentals and sustained economic growth. In 2025, the continent recorded economic growth of 4.2% up from 3.5% in 2024.

[01:58:06]This progress is being driven by stronger macroeconomic stability, expanding domestic demand, infrastructure development, increasing investment flows, demographic strength that we have in our young people, and the continued diversification of Africa's natural and economic resources.

[01:58:26]Together, these factors are enhancing the continent's competitive and competitiveness and reinforcing Africa's emergence as a strategic frontier for global business, industrial expansion, and long-term growth.

[01:58:44]This morning, my brother, President Mcron and I were in a youth summit right here this compound.

[01:58:52]And I remember when one young person saying, "Look, it's no longer looking west or looking east. It's looking forward and forward is actually looking south."

[01:59:06]That's what I was told this morning. And I guess that's why we are in this great city of Nairobi.

[01:59:13]one of the diplomatic hubs in the global south. The success of Africa's continental integration agenda as envisioned under Africa's continental free trade area will depend on quality infrastructure, strategic investment, strengthened partnership and joint ventures, expanding trade and meaningful technology transfer capable of accelerating intra Africa commerce and of course economic transformation.

[01:59:45]Regional economic blocks including the East African Community, Commensa and SADC under the tripartite framework present extraordinary opportunities for investment, industrial expansion and regional value chain development. Together, these regional frameworks represent a combined market of more than 800 million people across 29 countries and account for 60% of Africa's gross domestic product. This is not only a market of scale, it is a market of momentum.

[02:00:25]Excellencies, the global economy is undergoing profound realignment. Supply chains are shifting. Capital is repositioning itself. Nations and industries alike are seeking resilience, sustainability, efficiency, and stability.

[02:00:49]Africa and indeed Kenya stands at the center of this transformation.

[02:00:57]Our strategic location, vibrant private sector, improving macroeconomic environment, youthful and innovative workforce, and expanding green energy infrastructure continue to strengthen Africa's integration into global value chains and support regional industrialization.

[02:01:23]Kenya in particular has made significant progress in expanding export processing zones and special economic zones that continue to provide attractive incentives for investors and an enabling environment for business.

[02:01:39]We have also liberalized our foreign exchange regime enabling investors to repatriate 100% of their profits while advancing innovative financing that is available for all our investors.

[02:01:59]infrastructure fund that we have just established, national infrastructure fund and I was having a conversation with President Mcron on how we are going to raise resources in our continent. We have discussed we will be having a serious meeting tomorrow on matter has to do with international financial architecture while it is okay and we are having a big conversation on how to make the predominant hood institutions more representative how to enhance the voice of our continent how to leverage on our shareholding we also must do something as a region and a continent and I have asked my good brother to support us as we push for the new Africa financial architecture which we will be proposing as we go to the G7.

[02:03:04]We remain a strategic gateway to both regional and continental markets of nearly 1.6 billion people in this continent.

[02:03:14]We now look ahead to the next phase of this engagement. Our task is clear to translate the commitments and conversations emerging from this forum into tangible outcomes that deliver measurable impact in trade, investment, infrastructure, innovation, manufacturing and sustainable development. Our geography, ladies and gentlemen, and our history, our culture, our shared aspirations for inclusive prosperity provide a powerful foundation for deeper and more enduring cooperation under the Africa Forward framework.

[02:03:57]That partnership has deepened in recent years. And I want to thank my good friend President Mcron for having the courage to recalibrate the relationship between France and Africa, you know, and I want to uh tell President Mcron that um what you have done is the right thing to recalibrate our relationship. ship.

[02:04:33]You understand very well that this is a continent of tremendous opportunity, resources and wealth.

[02:04:44]And what we are doing as leaders in this continent is not to look for aid anymore, is not to look for loans anymore.

[02:04:55]We want to have a balanced conversation.

[02:05:00]We want to have a mutually beneficial conversation and this conversation is going to be about investment. We have ideas, we have resources, we have assets, we have our uh um human resource and we are ready to engage in a manner that is beneficial to France and is beneficial to us. We no longer want a relationship that is one-sided.

[02:05:30]And this is why this France Africa summit in Nairobi is different.

[02:05:40]We are shifting. The reason why it is being held in an angophone country is because we want inclusivity.

[02:05:48]We want those of us who are angophone to feel as part of this relationship are those who as those who are franophhone because we are one continent and we are one people and we want that relationship to be a relationship of shared responsibility.

[02:06:10]We too have responsibilities the same way our partners and friends have responsibilities.

[02:06:17]So we must appropriate our responsibilities.

[02:06:20]We must do our part as everybody else does their part. So congratulations uh my good friend Macron. We will be going to the G7 and I will be asking my brother as the leader of the G7 from June this year to help us position this continent appropriately.

[02:06:53]We want two very important things. Number one, we want a functioning, representative, fair international financial architecture.

[02:07:07]One that recognizes our opportunities. One that does not unfairly judge African economies. We want a fair credit rating mechanism that does not disadvantage our economies.

[02:07:27]and we will prosecute our case and do so efficiently.

[02:07:36]Number two, we want to make sure that the global financial architecture respects the voice of 1.4 billion people living in this continent.

[02:07:51]For far too long, for far too long, we were part of others.

[02:07:59]We do not want to be part of others. We are a people. We are nations.

[02:08:06]And I know that President Mcron is going to stand with us. I normally tease him and I normally tell him when he speaks he's the only person in the G7 who speaks the language of Africans and Mr. President I say this without fear of any contradiction because I have engaged with you and I know where you stand. So I want to say to all of you congratulations ladies and gentlemen in this room. Now listen the business people.

[02:08:48]You guys have a lot of money.

[02:08:52]You know you guys are stranded with a lot of money and we are stranded as uh in government with a lot of projects.

[02:09:01]We must find the mechanism that leverages on private sector resources, on pension funds and on money that's available in our insurance companies to drive programs and projects of transformation in our continent. We have huge resources. I want you to listen to me.

[02:09:24]We have huge resources in our pensions running into trillions. We have huge resources with our insurance companies running into trillions, but they fear to invest in public projects because they think it is risky.

[02:09:43]Now listen to me.

[02:09:46]We are developing a mechanism together with the Africa Development Bank, Afria Zingi Bank, Trade and Development Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, RTD and I remember discussing this with President Mcron yesterday so that we can have a mechanism that will derisk our public projects and enable you private sector, pension funds and insurance companies to invest in public projects That is how we are going to grow this continent.

[02:10:19]Continuing to depend on the resources of others and expecting that they will make them a available at concessional rates will be a waiting game in vain. So we need to think that is why in Kenya we have already established the national infrastructure fund.

[02:10:43]We already have the first $1 billion in the National Infrastructure Fund and this is a fund that we established four months ago.

[02:10:54]In another uh few months, maybe a month or two, we will have another $2 billion and we want to leverage the $3 billion that we are going to put in that fund to raise $30 billion to run our infrastructure programs.

[02:11:12]That is how transformation is going to be undertaken in this continent. You know, we we're not going to be waiting for resources from from others. And finally, let me say this.

[02:11:28]As we work with the private sector, we want the private sector to develop confidence. We now have an opportunity and I want to talk to the private private sector people who are sitting here. I hope um my good friend Aliggo Dangote is in the room or right there.

[02:11:48]We have an infrastructure project for the development of an East African refinery.

[02:11:57]Dangod tells me that is going to cost anywhere between 16 billion and $20 billion.

[02:12:07]That East African facility, East African refinery facility is an investment that the government of Kenya, the government of Uganda, the government of uh Tanzania, we have agreed that we want to develop a facility that is going to um assist us with our fuel products.

[02:12:34]We do not want to be held hostage anymore by the state of Amuse.

[02:12:40]We do not want to be held hostage by wars that are started by other people.

[02:12:46]We have our own resources here and we are saying we are going to use our African resources to industrialize our region.

[02:13:00]And that is why we have asked Ali Kodakote here to do a research. We have the port of Tanga. We have the port of Mombasa. We have the port of Lamu and the rest in between. Wherever they will find the most suitable location from our perspective because the crude pipeline was going to Tanga, we thought that is the best location. But we will not dictate to Aliko Dangote and the investors. But I want to also tell Aliko and all the other guys, you are not going to invest alone.

[02:13:35]Governments are also going to invest so that when you make the money, we also make the money.

[02:13:41]Right? And we are going to invest so that we can derisk that investment. I am going to use resources from my national infrastructure fund to invest in the refinery so that we can share in the profits that come and we can assist our private sector to derisk the investments they are going to put in these projects and make those projects viable and make them cost effective. Let me give you another opportunity. We are building uh a new airport in Nairobi. is going to cost us between around $1.5 billion dollars. There's an opportunity for investment. Are there any business people in this room or or these are tourists?

[02:14:28]They are right here. Yes, I can see them here. So, there's an opportunity for you to invest with us. Government of Kenya is going to put in 20% bring the rest of the money. Let's build the airport and everybody makes money. Right? So, this is how we want to take things forward.

[02:14:44]That is how we are going to build public infrastructure. That is how we are going to use private public partnership to drive African transformation. And that is what we are going to do going forward. Let me conclude this by saying that um we need to mobilize domestic resources.

[02:15:10]I will give you an example.

[02:15:13]We have mobilized in the last three years $4 billion dollars and built a whole housing ecosystem without borrowing a scent from any bank, not from the World Bank, not from IMF, not from anybody.

[02:15:36]There is opportunity for us to mobilize domestic resources and we want to work with the private sector to see how we can do that in a way that benefits everybody.

[02:15:51]I run the risk of uh doing a lecture because I'm at the Nairobi University where uh I I I I spend all my time uh reading. But let me stop there and say thank you very much and welcome to Nairobi.

[02:16:16]Great. Now it's my moment to invite my good friend and brother, the president of France, Emmanuel Macro.

[02:16:36]Thank you.

[02:16:41]>> Thank you, Mr. President.

[02:16:43]Dear William, Mr. Prime Minister, ministers, please, please, ministers, ambassadors, business leaders, I'm extremely happy to to be here and and and thank you. Thank you very much, Mr. President, not just for welcoming us and hosting this very important meeting, a premiere, but co-chering as well this Africa forward summit. I will switch in French.

[02:17:20]Dear President, ladies and gentlemen, we're very pleased along with the Kenyan presidents to be able to conclude here today. I know that there will be uh panels following these speeches and other colleagues will also take the floor and discuss the future and this will definitely take place. But I would like to say just a few words as it relates to my belief in uh what President R said, but also to enable you to measure collectively what this summit represents.

[02:17:53]When there is usually an a France Africa summit, that's what it was called. It was called Africa France, not Africa Forward. We would often begin with the heads of state and government. And there was sometimes the involvement of uh business leaders. Sometimes we had separate business forums but mainly it was in the hands of leaders.

[02:18:21]This Africa forward summit has placed youth at the heart of it and we spoke to young people this morning. We spoke about youth, culture, creativity, sport, energy, health, digital tools, agriculture and all of you uh have witnessed an unprecedented business forum today which uh discusses inspire connect Africa forward and has enabled business leaders to meet but also to amplify the voice of business leaders right from across the continent. from France and Europe in an unprecedented fashion and all of this will continue and there will be a representation of some of you who will be able to have discussions with heads of state and government who will be present tomorrow.

[02:19:16]So for this I would like to first and foremost thank our hosts, our Kenyan hosts. Thank you to the university, all of your teams, Mr. President and the ministry. Thank you very much. and the co-organizers from BPI France, Business France, Propakco together you have been able to create this unpreented moment. So well done to you and thank you.

[02:19:45]I would also like to thank all of the entrepreneurs who were mobilized medf CF s and alpha. Thank you for their uh efforts and their contribution and this will also enable us to benefit from our day tomorrow. Thank you very much to all of you. Africa, >> Africa forward, inspire and connect.

[02:20:19]>> And I should say that that that is why this room is so full of energy. We were expecting 2,2,500 participants and there are roughly 7,000 of you. This is unprecedented. I've never seen such a business forum with as many participants. This is a clear mobilization with representation from civil society, entrepreneurship with experts from all walks of life who have through the 30 panels have uh organized around four forums build trust, innovate, connect.

[02:20:56]Almost 7,000 participants, 700 business meetings that have been organized. That is the result of this unprecedented moment with results which are changing things and as you said Mr. President and I think this is why we're here together because we uphold the same vision. The partnership between France and Africa has very sound foundations. Many uh companies are present here today. Uh thousands of euros of cultural exchange 5 million in terms of investment in Africa. In addition to this, we have African investments that are growing in France. 1 million jobs created by French companies on the continent. 5,000 5 billion uh euros transferred uh in um remissions and this relationship has changed profoundly based on what the president mentioned and something in which we believe profoundly. Now there is a perception that has changed and the president mentioned this. Things are changing.

[02:22:02]French companies are currently changing and we must ramp things up in France. I do not hear enough uh about this and in this is the case in some French uh speaking countries, French African speaking countries but our relationships are changing and thanks and this is a good thing. For 25 years France has been present in Africa and this is very normal and it's a positive thing. France is present because for too long too many people and we need to say this in large companies uh have thought that we are French and therefore we have entitlement to everything. We have the arrival of the Chinese, the Turks, the Americans, many others and other Africans who are saying we're better than you. We're more competitive than you. they've been able to take over some market share and this has been done by people who were more competitive than us.

[02:23:05]So Africa is developing in an unprecedented fashion. It's the most dynamic continent in the world. Last year more growth than uh Southeast Asia Asia it's a continent where there are more than a billion young people who are below the age of 30 years. And what we've done uh over the last few years, well, we must we've woken up as French people and as Europeans. So we have uh this partnership with BPI France. Uh this demonstrates what we've done over the last few years. We have digital Africa, our uh talent passports, everything that we have done to ensure that our youth can move forward more quickly.

[02:23:43]We wish to reconquer market share in French-sp speakaking Africa, but we also want to do this in in other parts of Africa because Africa is a one continent. And this is not due to entitlement, but because we want to be the best and the president mentioned this, what the African continent is asking for is not uh for us to come and give aid.

[02:24:08]They wish for us to invest. They don't want us to tell them what is good and to say, you know, we're good in this field, we're good in this field. That no longer works. So what we need to do is to co-construct with the African continent to say this is where business can be developed in energy, infrastructure, education, agriculture and health. And collectively we can co-invest and we can co-produce.

[02:24:37]Now this uh conceptual revolution is the one that we have launched over the last few years. When COVID happened immediately we committed I asked uh President Musfa at the time we created an African bureau and we launched a platform to produce in Africa and to to begin to produce vac vaccines.

[02:25:05]We launched the project here in uh Rwanda in South Africa and African and European companies were able to develop production together because the African continent is it's not just about receiving medication produced elsewhere because the reality is as follows.

[02:25:22]Africa represents 20% of needs in requirements in terms of vaccination and 1% in terms of vaccine production and that's what we're trying to change. And similarly when we launched in Nigeria along with my fellow business leaders we launched initiatives in cultural and creative industries and energy in the digital field. We did this collectively because Nigerians told us we know how to do this but help us to better integrate uh Echoas because in partnership with companies from French-sp speaking countries and other countries it is smart for us to better to work better with Kivoir and Sagal and to strengthen and further uh regional integration. So this is what we've been doing over the last 10 years. We've woken up. We've changed perspective. It's about respect.

[02:26:13]It's about mutual partnership which in in involves uh diasporas in France. We have millions of young people who have African origins. We want them to uh come here. We have French companies who can also be catalysts of growth on the continent. This continent has everything it needs. We just wish to help and to co-invent and to do away with this vertical thinking so that we can work alongside one another and strengthen co-investment. And finally, we wish to build these future solutions together because the the solutions of the future will only be done with the youth of the continent. And the president reminded us of this this morning. Mobile payment was involved here. It has been developed much more quickly in Africa than on the European continent. and our Kenyan friends know just as our Moroccan friends know this and all of this is what lies at the heart of Africa forward. It's a change in perspective.

[02:27:20]And so what I wish to announce here today is that through all of the actions that have been undertaken, we are seeing very concrete results for the African continent. Through your mobilization, through what has been done, >> 23 billion euros have been announced in investment for the African continent. 23 billion euros.

[02:27:52]These 23 billion euros represents 14 billion euros from French countries who are present. large groups uh small and mediumsized enterprises that have invest invested 14 billion euros in the continent and I wish to hail all of the business leaders who are behind this investment in Kenya but in other African countries who are present here today and this will create more than 220,000 employee jobs in France in Africa excuse me and that's 9 billion euros of investment from African entrepreneurs and investors.

[02:28:35]This is unprecedented and this is exactly the mobilization that we wish to see and that we wish to ramp up. So a huge round of applause for all of you present here today for this very extraordinary result and I would like to thank the French companies who have taken action. We mentioned Orange. We mentioned Canel Plus. We have the companies that work in the health sectors such as Castell and others as Sudika. Um we have uh companies present in all uh sectors. We have family uh companies. We havememes.

[02:29:16]You have all played the game brilliantly. We have uh companies from all different regions who are present.

[02:29:22]But I'm very happy that you are here.

[02:29:25]Besides business leaguers from Madagascar, Seneagal, Nigeria, Morocco, I'm happy that we're building projects together because that is what the future is about. And I see this as well in a relationship of reciprocity.

[02:29:45]Tony was here.

[02:29:49]I thought for Jilber, Mike, Professor Abu who was with us this morning. and uh ado as well. We have created this Franco Nigerian council and the uh Nigeria was at the heart of this.

[02:30:07]And so when it comes to bilateral relationships, I wish to see more African investors in France. It's not just about France coming to invest in the African continent, but we also wish for African business leaders to come and invest in France. And this will create that reciprocal relationship free of complexes because again it's about changing perspective but it's also a reality.

[02:30:33]There are investors and entrepreneurs on the African continent who are extremely innovative and ambitious who help us change France and create jobs in our country. And this is the key of this reciprocal relationship. And this is what William William mentioned just a moment ago. So well done for all of these uh these investments. And I would just like to uh dubtail of what President RTO said as it relates to uh the future.

[02:31:05]So we have these tens of billions of investment and this change in perspective that we have seen over the last 10 years. But we want to go further than this.

[02:31:14]So what are the challenges that prevent Africa from succeeding?

[02:31:21]Well, we know what the challenges are.

[02:31:23]First, education.

[02:31:26]>> What Morocco has done is revolutionary.

[02:31:31]Prime Minister, what you have done under the authority of uh his majesty the king is a model to be followed for the continent for primary, secondary and university level education with brilliant results.

[02:31:46]These are the best results that we have seen.

[02:31:50]So this is an extraordinary model. Kenya is also doing remarkable things. Nigeria is also doing remarkable things and we've seen this here. And that's why we began today with the president with an investment from the AFD in engineering. I AI education education education.

[02:32:15]Now energy we have this battle. We need for the African continent to transform its energy. There are extraordinary treasures, hydroele electricity, and I'm thinking about the uh Democratic Republic of the Congo with u major projects that are being undertaken in the DRC and in uh the Republic of Congo and I'm thinking about hydrocarbons.

[02:32:41]Algeria has a huge uh development potential with investors, entrepreneurs who can make Algeria the El Dorado of the future for transition not just for the African continent for but for the entire Mediterranean. There is also the will to develop uh civil nuclear civil nuclear field as well.

[02:33:05]So we have uh energy entrepreneurs present here and we wish to partner with you as part of this development.

[02:33:14]The third thing infrastructure this was mentioned digital infrastructure transport transportation in infrastructure energy infrastructure infrastructure this is key for developing the economies of your countries but it's key for the sovereignty of the African continent. We share this challenge. We said this morning with the president that we also wish for our own sovereignity over our infrastructure just like you.

[02:33:44]So, education, energy, infrastructure and a structured economy. That's the fourth challenge. One of the major challenges of Africa is that there is a lot of employment but too much in the informal sector. So we need to ensure that African companies are structured by improving governance by making it possible for these companies to grow to pay better salaries to integrate the banking and financial system to uh allow for more people in Africa to have access to sustainable um housing, education, health and good development. The ability to make Africa a more formal economy is the key and that is where your governments can support you to structure these strategies. And the fifth and final factor is in order to do this we need massive investment both public and private and this investment strategy is the strategy that we are currently undertaking. So in some ways you have done your part with the announcements of today the 23 billion euros in investment from France in the African continent for Africa. But what we wish to do in the future and as part of the G7 is to structure a framework of investment for the African continent.

[02:35:13]There is no reason for there to be so little private investment in a continent which is full of energy and youth such as yours. So on this continent, if we wish to increase the value chains, if we wish to structure the formal economy, well, we should ensure that we're not simply extracting minerals. We must process them, create an industry. We need to be smarter to structure this to bring about these opportunities. And for this, we need massive investment.

[02:35:49]And in order to have massive investment, we need to resolve the issue of uh ratings, we also need to ensure that we resolve how we deal with risk for non-African investors and also for African investors. Six years ago, we launched in Paris. 5 years ago, it was the summit for the funding of the African economy. We built a strategy uh for uh special uh drawing rights for Africa and we succeeded in this gamble.

[02:36:20]A 100red billion were allocated to the African continent and this was a French a Franco African initiative and this allowed us with the IMF to develop new projects alongside the states and uh there were 10 or so programs and this was unprecedented. Now first step, second step in uh Paris in July 2023, William was there, other leaders were there. There was the uh the Paris factory for people on the planet and you say, "Well, okay, we need more levers." And we were both sitting at the same round table with the World Bank chairman, the director general of the IMF, and he said, "Okay, we're going to increase the lever so that when we put more money from the IMF and the World Bank, it generates the equivalent from the private sector." And so there was much more leverage and there was a lot more money that came in. So there still is one problem that we haven't managed to overcome and we have to find a solution to it before tomorrow between tomorrow and Avon is that we know have no real mechanism that guarantees the initial losses. So we have to find a new treaty uh that deals with the rating on the national ratings of the different countries because uh the world bank has made eligible guarantees until B minus.

[02:37:32]They they guarantee only countries with rated B minus otherwise they cannot guarantee them. But we also need to have real u mechanisms for covering the initial losses. And now we have quite a few mechanisms that can cover uh second tier losses. But we have quite a few banks, investment funds, entrepreneurs and others, sometimes African but mostly non-African who don't want to come and invest in Africa. So there is a solution and the solution is here in Kenya. It's ATD ATD. The African Development Bank president came to see me and says we must look into this. I mean it works.

[02:38:06]It's to cover the first or initial losses. We're going to co-invest with you. We're going to join you and uh um invest in the capital of ATD with our um with our capital and we're going to structure with our African friends and with William. We're going to u make sure that we make ATD the real platform, the real mechanism that can guarantee the initial losses on the African continent if if it were the case. and we're going to go together to the G7 summit in Evion mid June to convince all the richest economies to come along with us to come on board and ensure uh the um the guarantees for initial investments.

[02:38:49]So that I mean in a nutshell that was it. Thank you very much. We felt a lot of energy all through the day and was a lot a lot of fun. We're really uh very proud with President R to be here with all of you and you're going to be the ones who are going to be responsible for our future, the younger ones and I mean the older ones too but uh you are those who are going to carry the continent into the future whether you're entrepreneurs, artists, academics, researchers, journalists, you name it.

[02:39:15]um uh even sportsmen or women and uh with this forum I think uh we paved the way to a new era and we these 23 billion worth of investment uh today there's a new era opening up today in Nairobi in your alma matter uh dear William Mr. present and there will be no going back.

[02:39:38]We're going to work together to co-produce, co-invest and co-invent because that's the whole idea behind the new relationship between France and Africa and Europe, between us, Kenya and the African continent. Thank you very much.

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