France's President Emmanuel Macron had initially invited President Cyril Ramaphosa to represent Africa but the Trump administration had threatened to boycott if South Africa attended...

THE PRICE OF THE ‘AFRICA FORWARD' DEALS As the dust settles on the ‘Africa Forward' summit co-hosted by President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron the price of Ruto's diplomatic triumph – and Macron's promise of billions in new commercial investment – is becoming clearer (AC Vol 67 No 10 Ruto strengthens hand as Nairobi summit marks Macron's African swansong)...

But buoyed by a 21 May call by President Emmanuel Macron for the symbolic repeal of France's 1685 Code Noir (governing the slave trade) the Ghanaians are talking up the consultations...

There was enough mutual self-interest measured in €23 billion (US$27bn) of commercial deals and diplomatic positioning ahead of the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains in June to make the grandiose Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi on 11-12 May worthwhile for co-hosts Kenya's President William Samoei Ruto and France's Emmanuel Macron...

That gave Ruto a headline to boost his diplomatic efforts ahead of the Africa Forward Summit he will co-host with France's Emmanuel Macron in Nairobi on 11-12 May (AC Vol 67 No 6 Macron tries a multipolar reset at Nairobi summit)...

Ruto's Italian visit was billed by State House as a practice run for May's joint summit with French President Emmanuel Macron...

Mahamat Kaka consulted French President Emmanuel Macron with whom he still had good relations and was reminded that putschists were not supposed to lead major regional organisations...