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French President Emmanuel Macron sparked a firestorm of criticism after he interrupted a youth-focused session at the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on Monday, publicly scolding attendees for talking over speakers and calling the disruption “a total lack of respect.”
Video from the event showed Macron rising from his seat and walking onto the stage during the “Africa Forward: Creation in Motion” session, which featured artists and young entrepreneurs speaking about culture and innovation.
“Excuse me, everybody. Hey, hey, hey,” Macron told the audience. “I’m sorry, guys. But it’s impossible to speak about culture, to have people like that super inspired, coming here, making a speech with such a noise.”
“So this is a total lack of respect,” he continued. “I suggest if you want to have bilateral or speak about somebody else, I mean something else, you have bilateral rooms, or you go outside. If you want to stay here, we listen to the people, and we’re playing the same game.”
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A screen shot of French President Emmanuel Macron stops a session at the Africa Forward Summit in Kenya (Reuters)
Macron was immediately criticized for his uninvited remarks on social media. A former member of Parliament from Zimbabwe, Fadzayi Mahere, called the French leader out on X. “Respectfully @EmmanuelMacron I don’t believe that it’s courteous or appropriate for you to come onto our Continent and talk down at people like this. They are not your kids. Don’t be condescending. Imagine if a guest of the state did the same in your country? Would it fly? I don’t think so.”
Another post from a Kenyan-Canadian lawyer with 3.1 million followers announced, “Africans don’t need @EmmanuelMacron’s permission to speak in Africa,” said Dr. Miguna Miguna, who in January announced he was running for the Kenyan presidency in 2027, according to local reports.
A report published Monday by Modern Ghana, the interruption carried a symbolic irony, as Macron had traveled to Kenya to promote what Paris describes as a more equal and respectful partnership with African nations, moving away from what critics have long viewed as a paternalistic post-colonial model.
The incident took place during the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, where more than 30 African leaders, business executives and young entrepreneurs gathered for discussions focused on economic development, innovation and cooperation between Africa and Europe.
Kenya’s Standard Media reported that the exchange “cast an unusual shadow” over the summit, noting that some civil society groups characterized the two-day summit as a “reengineering of imperialism.”
The moment underscored the balancing act facing Macron as France attempts to redefine its relationship with Africa following years of political tensions and military withdrawals from several West African countries.
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French President Emmanuel Macron, arrives at the White House, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, in Washington. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Photo)
Earlier Monday, Macron told students at the University of Nairobi that “Africa is succeeding” and argued the continent needs investment to strengthen its sovereignty rather than dependence on development aid, according to Modern Ghana’s report by Mustapha Bature Sallama. The report also noted Macron acknowledged France’s own financial constraints during the remarks.
Macron has increasingly emphasized partnerships with African youth, entrepreneurs and cultural leaders as Paris recalibrates its Africa strategy amid growing competition from Russia, China and Turkey for influence across the continent.
Reuters contributed to this report.