Sema Fonkem 15 May 2026

During the closing ceremony of the Africa Forward Summit 2026 on May 12, while questions were being thrown at French president Emmanuel Macron and Kenya’s William Ruto who hosted the event at Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, one question stood out, a question that brought total silence and a moment of critical thinking to the entire room.

South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) journalist Sophie Mokoena asked a very pertinent question to president Macron, a question that seemed personal but at the same time very essential to the new relationship the French leader is out to build in the African continent.

Sophie Mokoena took to the microphone and she said, “Thank you so much president Macron and president Ruto, my name is Sophie Mokoena from the South African Broadcasting Corporation. My question is that there is a perception out there, particularly from the Africans on the continent that the continent was short changed during colonialism and we are likely going to see the same. Can you kindly assure Africans on the continent that this time around this will not be the case? Thank you very much.

The French president is back in Africa after France got kicked out of Mali, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Senegal. Over the years, Africans have been condemning the negative impact French role has had on its former colonies for the past 200 years.

Ever since France’s fallout with the Sahel states, president Macron has been on an aggressive mission to reintroduce French footprints in Africa and this time around he has chosen to go after British former colonies. First it was rubbing shoulders with president Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, then a $95 million debt relief deal with Ghana in July 2025.

The first inaugural Africa Forward Summit held from May 11–12, 2026 at the KICC and University of Nairobi is not only proof that France is making a re-entry but a desperate move by the French government, considering their expansion attempts in regions where they are clearly not welcomed by the public.

Before Macron could answer Ms. Mokoena’s question, president Ruto asked for an opportunity to usher a few words that will add salt to the wound. He bluntly stated that African leaders like himself have full control over future relationships with the West.

“Yes, we, this continent was a victim of brutal colonialism. All the way to slave trade, exploitation, and everything in between. The Africa Union led in the charge for independence. We now have 54 independent states. You have asked us whether, what assurance we can get that this will not be repeated again. I can tell you without fear of any contradiction that we do not need any assurance from anybody. We will do it ourselves. We will not allow ourselves again as leaders from this continent. We will take charge over our own destiny. And that is why a conference like this is taking place in Nairobi because we are recalibrating our relationship with our partners. And we have been absolutely clear that this is a relationship of equals. At the heart of this relationship is sovereign equality. At the heart of this relationship is not extraction, is not exploitation,” Ruto said.

After Ruto’s response, the room impatiently waited for Macron to defend France by reassuring Africans of equal and mutually beneficial deals on all prospective agreements. Without any dignity and shame, he looked at the audience and never answered the question. Instead he thoughtlessly spoke about investment in education, the G7 future agenda for energy security, economic development in Trade and Agriculture. He delivered that monotonous speech from every corrupt politician.

The fact that Macron could not answer Ms. Mokoena’s question directly only tells Africans on the continent one thing, neocolonialism will not come to an end and France has no interest in putting Africa first or split business deals equally. From Macron’s defeated countenance and tone it is easy to tell that he still believes Africa needs France more than France can rely on Africa.

Ruto understands the extend to which the French are no longer welcomed in the African continent and to this affect, he will use the opportunity to get favourable deals for Kenya. Ms. Mokoena’s question gave president Ruto the leverage he needed to have an upper hand in the Africa forward summit.

Link to Macron’s closing speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LJnb-a7CGQ