France's Macron announces more than €1 billion of investment deals in Kenya

French President Emmanuel Macron urged more investment in Africa on Sunday,as he prepared to co-host the Africa-Forward summit with his Kenyan counterpart.

The first such forum to be held in an English-speaking country,it marks a shift in French policytowards the continent.

Paris has stressed its new outlook as a "partnership of equals," with the focus on economic cooperation and investment.

Macron used the occasion to announce major news deals between the two nations:

"French companies are investing in and believe in Kenya’s potential,CMA-CGM,which has just committed to renovating two terminals at the port of Mombasa,a total investment of €700 million; Meridiam,which is set to expand the country’s second wind farm to the tune of $225 million; Kibeto; and in total,across all the projects,as we have seen,as I was saying,more than €1 billion has been committed."

In all,Macron and Kenya's President Ruto signed 11 agreements on Sunday,including investments in modernised transport,sustainable agriculture and a nuclear energy plant.

"We understand as African leaders that we too have responsibilities," Ruto said.

"This relationship is not going to be one-sided. We will be expecting from France as they will be expecting from us and they will be giving as much as we are giving. That is the win-win,you know,mutually beneficial relationship."

Ruto said both leaders expect the summit to be a “turning point” toward a better partnership. But he added that Nairobi is looking to nurture a wide range of relationships,"neither looking East nor West" but "looking forward."