France woos Anglophone Africa at a summit in Kenya

"France is pitching what it says is a new model of partnership with African countries at a summit that begins Monday in Kenya as it completes a military withdrawal from West African countries that has been widely seen as marking declining influence on the continent. But Paris is expected to use the two-day Africa Forward Summit, which it is co-hosting, to push a new Africa policy that focuses more on English-speaking countries and offers what it calls a partnership of equals."

"France has long maintained a policy of economic, political and military sway over its former colonies dubbed Francafrique, which included keeping thousands of troops in the region. But after years of criticism from leaders and opposition parties in those countries over what they described as a demeaning and heavy-handed approach, France has been forced to withdraw most of those troops."

"The summit France's first in an English-speaking African country will be attended by more than 30 heads of state and government, including from Francophone c"

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France is holding an Africa Forward Summit in Kenya as it completes a military withdrawal from West African countries. The summit begins Monday and is expected to serve as a platform for a new French Africa policy. The policy emphasizes a partnership of equals and focuses more on English-speaking African countries. France’s new defense agreement with Kenya is presented as a direction for this approach. France previously maintained influence over former colonies through economic, political, and military sway, including thousands of troops in the region. Criticism from leaders and opposition parties in those countries described the approach as demeaning and heavy-handed, contributing to France withdrawing most troops.

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