Nairobi, Kenya- May 10th, 2026
His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has arrived in Nairobi, Kenya, ahead of the high-level Africa Forward Summit scheduled for 11–12 May 2026. The summit is jointly hosted by His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, and His Excellency Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic.
The two-day summit brings together African leaders, global policy makers, development partners, investors, and representatives from international financial institutions to deliberate on critical issues shaping Africa’s future development trajectory. Key thematic areas of the summit include trade and investment, climate change, sustainable finance, the blue economy, green industrialization, digital transformation, public health, and youth empowerment.
More than 1,500 participants are expected to attend the summit, including Heads of State and Government, business leaders, civil society actors, government ministers, and multilateral development institutions, all committed to advancing sustainable development across the African continent.
The Africa Forward Summit is expected to strengthen political dialogue and deepen economic and development cooperation between France and African nations through enhanced partnerships, investment opportunities, and strategic engagements.
For Sierra Leone and other African countries, the summit presents a significant opportunity to reinforce diplomatic relations with France, mobilise private sector investments, strengthen agricultural partnerships, and attract fresh socio-economic investments capable of accelerating continental growth and development. The summit also provides France with an important platform to recalibrate and redefine its engagement with Africa amid evolving geopolitical dynamics and increasing competition from global actors such as China, Türkiye, Russia, the Gulf States, and India.
President Bio is accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising key government officials, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Alhaji Timothy Musa Kabba; the Minister of Finance, Hon. Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura; the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka; and the Minister of Trade and Industry, Hon. Alpha Ibrahim Sesay; Minister of the Enviornment and Climate Change, Hon. Jiwoh Abdulai, the Minister of Energy, Hon.Cyril Arnold Grant; former Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Sidi Mohamed Tunis; among others.
On the margins of the summit, President Bio is expected to hold bilateral engagements with several global leaders, including the Secretary-General of the United Nations, H.E. António Guterres, and President Emmanuel Macron. These engagements are anticipated to focus on strengthening international cooperation and exploring new socio-economic and investment opportunities for Sierra Leone, while further enhancing relations between Sierra Leone and France.
Upon arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, President Bio was warmly received by the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Tourism and Widlife of Kenya and Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the Republic of Kenya, His Excellency Lt. Gen. (Rtd.) Peter K. Lavahun; alongside senior officials from the Government of Kenya.
A. B. Dakowa
SLHC, Kenya.