The Summit will focus on economic issues of interest to Africa and France, including the reform of the global financial architecture and the renewal of the development agenda, the energy transition, green industrialisation, blue economy, sustainable agriculture, AI and digital technologies, health and peace & security. The Summit will illustrate the African continent’s innovation capacity, and the shared commitment to develop common and mutually beneficial solutions, based on effective multilateralism and a spirit of partnership.
Themes of the Summit of Heads of State and Government (May 12TH 2026)
Summit discussions will be structured around thematic areas conducted through plenary and roundtable formats, each featuring dedicated Member State intervention slots.
Plenaries
Green Industrialisation and Energy Transition
This plenary session will bring together Heads of State and Government as well as approximately thirty leading CEOs from Africa and France. The discussion will be structured around green industrialisation and value chains, promoting bankable projects through private finance and energy transition catalysts, and human, innovation and entrepreneurial capital.
Reform of the Global Financial Architecture (GFA): Advancing Equity, Sustainability and the African Voice
Particular focus will be on solutions to improve Africa’s access to sustainable financing, risk reduction mechanisms and fair representation of African countries in the international financial architecture.
Peace and Security
The session will inspire a forward-looking exchange on the challenges and opportunities for Africa in terms of peace and security within the context of a profoundly changed world order. The discussions will promote effective and inclusive multilateralism in advancing peace and security on the African continent, support African institutions and mechanisms, particularly those led by the African Union, and highlight African solutions and the levers available to strengthen them.
Roundtables
Unlocking the Potential of the Blue Economy
The roundtable will focus on strategic priorities in maritime governance and environmental security, the creation of blue jobs, and the decarbonisation of maritime transport.
Building Productive, Sustainable and Resilient Agri-Food Systems in Africa – Strengthening Partnerships
Discussions will focus on supporting production and agroecological intensification in Africa through sustainable investments in African agricultural value chains, structuring value chains, and cooperation on nutrition, school feeding programmes, and food security.
Artificial Intelligence and Digital Technologies
The roundtable will focus on harnessing the potential of AI and digital technologies for growth through investment in digital infrastructure, building partnerships for open AI, growth of start-ups and talent training, and financing AI and the high-tech sector as growth drivers.
Catalysing Investment, Technology Transfer and Strategic Partnerships for Local Manufacturing of Health Products and Technologies in Africa
The discussions will promote a health cooperation model based on partnership and co-construction, strengthen local production chains for vaccines and medicines, and develop the continent’s human and technical capacity in health.
BUSINESS FORUM (May 11TH, 2026)
The business forum “Africa Forward: Inspire & Connect” will aim to strengthen economic partnerships between African countries and France. The forum will highlight projects, innovations and ideas from both African and French private sectors, with a particular focus on the Summit core topics.
The event will bring together about 1500 high-level participants, including major African and French business leaders, leaders of mid-sized companies and SMEs, and young entrepreneurs. The forum will be structured around networking of major French and African companies, B2B and B2G workshops and talks to promote Africa-France cross-investments and between African countries, and valorisation of economic partnerships between Africa and France.
OTHER PARALLEL EVENTS (May 11TH, 2026)
Youth Event
An event dedicated to youth will focus on employability, tech, digital, and AI, as well as the positioning of the African continent on the international scene.
Cultural and Creative Industries Event
A cultural and creative industries event will run throughout the day of May 11th and will include presentation of immersive works of art in the spirit of “Creation Africa”. Companies from the sector will also be present at the business forum.
Expected Outcomes
The Summit will aim toward the adoption of a Nairobi Declaration covering the eight key themes of the Summit, alongside concrete and action-oriented deliverables, including potential deals and commitments from the private sector.
Participation
Participants will include African Heads of State and Government, representatives from the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, the United Nations, the European Union, regional and multilateral development banks, international financial institutions, international organisations, academia, private sector representatives, tech leaders, young entrepreneurs, and other partners. A civil society forum themed “A Pavilion for Creation and Social Innovation” will also be scheduled for 10th May 2026.