Macron faces backlash after interrupting Africa summit panel in Kenya

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron is facing backlash after interrupting a panel at the Africa Forward Summit in Kenya to demand silence from the public.

Macron stormed the stage to berate audience members for what he called a “total lack of respect”, accusing them of disrupting speakers during a presentation of artists and young entrepreneurs. He had previously described himself as a “Pan-Africanist” during a press conference.

The summit aims to outline France’s new policy for the continent – a shift from a former colonial power seen as dominant to what Paris describes as a partnership between equals. On Tuesday, Macron announced an investment of $27 billion in various sectors in Africa, including energy, artificial intelligence and agriculture.

Videos of Macron’s impassioned speech on Monday quickly spread on social media, sparking a mix of mockery, praise and criticism.

Appearing visibly frustrated by the noise in the room, Macron abruptly took the stage and asked the speaker to hand him the microphone, saying he would “restore order.”

Addressing the audience in English, he criticized participants for talking over speakers and creating disruptions during the session.

Some spectators applauded the intervention, but Macron also drew criticism for his response.

“Imagine what would happen if an African leader did the same thing in America or Europe,” said Thierno Mbaye, a history student at a university in Dakar, Senegal’s capital.

“He behaved like a school teacher scolding children,” Mbaye told the Associated Press.

The intervention also sparked criticism in France.

“He is stronger than him: as soon as he sets foot on the African continent, he cannot help but behave like a colonizer,” said Danièle Obono, MP for the far-left France Insoumise party, in a post on X.

Diplomatic and military setbacks in West Africa

The Africa Forward Summit, set to close on Tuesday with a declaration expected to be signed by all 30 heads of state, comes amid fallout between France and its former colonies, mainly in West Africa.

France has long maintained a colonial policy of economic, political and military domination called Françafrique, which notably consisted of maintaining thousands of soldiers in the region it controlled.

After years of criticism from the leaders and opposition parties of many West African countries for what they called a humiliating and brutal approach, France withdrew most of its troops from the region. It completed the withdrawal of troops from Senegal in July.

Macron had already faced backlash before the summit for asserting Sunday during a press conference alongside Kenyan President William Ruto that “we are the true Pan-Africanists.”

“We believe that Africa is a continent and that this continent has a lot to build,” Macron said.

Pan-Africanism refers to an ideology seeking the unity of Africans and the elimination of colonialism. Given France’s colonial history across the continent, the remark went viral on social media and sparked strong reactions.

“Pan-Africanism is not a brand, Mr. Macron, nor is it a diplomatic posture,” Farida Nabourema, a Togolese human rights activist, said in an open letter on Monday.

“It is a political philosophy that said no to everything. France spent three centuries saying yes to: slavery, colonialism and neocolonialism,” she added.

Beverly Ochieng, a senior analyst at geopolitical risk consultancy Control Risks, said Macron is trying to steer France away from its diplomatic and military setbacks in West Africa by turning to the east of the continent, signaling that its strategic priorities now follow where it finds goodwill.

She said Macron’s remarks raised the question of whether France’s renewed engagement with Africa represented a true equal partnership or just convenient rhetoric.

The French presidency and foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Paris will respect the independence of each African country, Macron said Tuesday, adding that “sovereignty and autonomy are shared, and your success is our success.”

“Inauthentic or politically manipulated”

Alioune Tine, founder of the Afrikajom Center think tank, said Macron’s remark could also be a subtle attack on Russia, which has replaced France as the main security partner in some West African countries.

“When Macron describes himself as the ‘real’ Pan-Africanist, it is also a subtle response to pro-Russian Pan-Africanist voices online, which French officials tend to view as inauthentic or politically manipulated,” Tine said.

He said relations between Western powers and African states are inherently paternalistic and France is no exception, but that Macron has shifted his policies away from colonial heritage in favor of a more informal diplomatic style aimed at rebuilding trust.

According to an Ipsos survey carried out on behalf of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in nine African countries ahead of the summit, 74% of those questioned said they had a positive image of France. Support was highest in English-speaking countries and among respondents under 35.

Macron, who is the first French president born after the colonial era, pledged after his first election in 2017 to reset French relations with Africa.