France wants to “build a balanced” and “beneficial” partnership for African countries, says Sejournet

He wants to reassure a continent “on the verge of becoming a power” on many levels. During a visit to Nairobi, Kenya, Foreign Minister Stephane Séjournet assured that France wants to “build a balanced partnership” that should “benefit” African countries, while Paris faces serious questions in Africa, especially in the Sahel.

The French diplomat, who took office in January, began his first African tour in Kenya on Saturday, which will take him to Rwanda, where he will attend commemorations of the 30th anniversary of the genocide of the Tutsi on Sunday, and then to Kot. d’Ivoire.

“France will have a calling to renew and build a balanced partnership, mutually respectful and for the benefit of all countries, with African countries,” Stéphane Sejournet said during a press conference in Nairobi with his Kenyan counterpart Musalia Mudavadi.

“That’s the whole point of our roadmap: to diversify these partnerships, to make them beneficial for the countries in which we are going to invest,” he continued.

“Great collaboration”

“In Africa it is not only the Sahel, there is great cooperation,” the minister added, emphasizing that “the African continent is on its way to becoming a cultural, economic and diplomatic power (…) that will count in the balance of the world.

In Kenya, “which is not a traditional partner,” France is noticeably strengthening its economic presence. Over ten years, the number of French companies created in the country has almost tripled – from 50 to 140.

Asked about the “trade imbalance” in relations with France, Musalia Mudavadi replied that it was “working on.”

“The process of eliminating trade imbalances requires consistent programs and joint efforts, which is what we are doing. The number of French companies is increasing and those present are capable of employing 34,000 Kenyans directly,” he stressed.

Climate Change Commitments

The two ministers discussed cooperation in transport and sports infrastructure, as well as in the fight against climate change – an area in which Kenyan President William Ruto has become a spokesman for developing countries.

Faced with the urgency and “urgent need to increase global climate finance (…), including (through) contributions from the private sector and other innovative sources”, Musalia Mudavadi called on “all countries to join the working group on international taxation” established by the two countries and Barbados in COP28 time in December.

The three countries then announced they wanted to form a coalition to bring together countries willing to create an international tax within two years that could raise billions of dollars to help developing countries cope with climate change.