Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon. Gen. Odongo Jeje Abubakhar has hailed the upcoming Africa-Forward Summit as a landmark moment in relations between France and English-speaking African nations.
The summit, scheduled for May 11-12 in Nairobi, will be the first time since 2017 that the high-level engagements are being hosted outside French-speaking countries.
Speaking during a breakfast briefing hosted by Virginie Leroy, Odongo described the summit as a major step in strengthening partnerships founded on mutual respect and shared economic interests.
“Nairobi is a first… In the sense that since 2017, these meetings have taken place in French-speaking countries. It is the first time France is crossing the proverbial Rubicon to come to the English-speaking territory,” Odongo said.
The minister said both Uganda and France are increasingly focusing on economic and commercial diplomacy as a basis for international cooperation.
“So in Nairobi, we are not going to drink champagne. We are going to interact and bring results. Why is the meeting in Nairobi called Africa-Forward? It is a statement that Africa is moving, through different entities and different enterprises, and businesses,” he added.
Ambassador Leroy highlighted several French initiatives aimed at increasing African participation in global decision-making, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting vaccine sovereignty.
She noted that Uganda remains one of the fastest-growing economies in Sub-Saharan Africa but stressed the need to create employment opportunities for the country’s rapidly expanding youthful population.
“Uganda stands out as one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s fastest growing economies, with sustained growth above 6% and a promising medium-term outlook driven in part by forthcoming oil production. Each year, around 700,000 young Ugandans enter the job market, underscoring the urgency of creating opportunities at scale,” Leroy said.
According to a statement from the French Embassy in Uganda, France’s engagement with Uganda is guided by three pillars aligned with the vision of Emmanuel Macron — “Team Up,” “Scale Up,” and “Multiply Impact.”
Under the “Team Up” approach, France works with Ugandan authorities, youth, and institutions through partnerships involving the Agence Française de Développement, Alliance Française, and the French Chamber of Commerce, alongside European and African partners.
The “Scale Up” strategy focuses on mobilising financial support for infrastructure, energy, and health investments, while also strengthening networks among entrepreneurs, creatives, and women leaders.
Through the “Multiply Impact” pillar, France aims to support Uganda’s development agenda through job creation, skills transfer, and expanding access to regional and global opportunities through French language education.
Leroy also highlighted several bilateral projects supported by France in Uganda.
She said collaboration between the National Water and Sewerage Corporation and AFD has improved access to clean drinking water for more than five million people in Greater Kampala and southwestern Uganda over the last 15 years.
France has also worked with the Ministry of Energy and European Union partners to expand renewable energy access across 35 districts, benefiting more than 200,000 people.
Other initiatives include the EU-funded ROBUST project supporting climate-resilient coffee farming, financing partnerships with local banks such as dfcu Bank and Stanbic Bank Uganda to support small businesses and farmers, as well as innovation and entrepreneurship programmes targeting youth and women-led startups.
Leroy said France remains committed to supporting Uganda’s economic transformation through sustainable investment, innovation, and cultural cooperation.