Kenya

President Hichilema travelled to Nairobi, Kenya, to attend the inaugural France-Africa "Forward Africa Summit", held under the theme "Africa-France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth." The summit was co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto, and was attended by more than 30 African heads of state and government alongside business leaders. It was the first France-Africa Summit to be held outside France. President Hichilema addressed the summit on the need for investment in energy infrastructure, including a power interconnector linking southern Africa to North Africa. He emphasised that Africa must leverage its own resources, strengthen its capacity to finance key infrastructure, and that investment models must create win-win outcomes for investors and African citizens alike. He was received at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by Kenya's Minister of Public Service Geoffrey Ruku and attended a gala dinner hosted by President Ruto on the evening of 11 May 2026.