Ruto hails deepening Kenya-France ties as French Ambassador Suquet ends four-year tour

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 2-President William Ruto has hailed the deepening strategic partnership between Kenya and France, as outgoing French Ambassador Arnaud Suquet concludes his four-year tour of duty in Nairobi.

Ruto bid farewell to Suquet at State House Nairobi, where he underscored the growing breadth of Kenya-France relations, spanning diplomacy, trade, strategic investments and high-level cooperation.

The President said the relationship between the two countries had been elevated to “new heights” in recent years, with France emerging as an important partner in Kenya’s development agenda.

A major milestone in the partnership was the Africa Forward Summit, co-hosted by Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron in Nairobi in May 2026.

 The summit marked the first time the high-level event was held outside France or Francophone Africa.

The meeting resulted in the signing of 11 bilateral agreements, covering key areas of Kenya’s economic and development priorities.

Among the flagship commitments was the Sh12.5 billion upgrade of the Nairobi Commuter Rail, alongside agreements on expanding national digital connectivity, constructing a science complex at the University of Nairobi and developing an aviation fuel project.

Ruto said the agreements reflected the increasingly practical nature of Kenya-France relations, with diplomatic ties translating into investments and projects with direct implications for infrastructure, technology, education and transport.

“The ties are strong and expanding,” Ruto said, pointing to the strategic investments and high-level cooperation that have characterised the relationship between Nairobi and Paris.

The President also commended Suquet for his role during his tenure in Kenya and wished him well as he takes up a new assignment at the French Foreign Ministry.

Suquet’s departure comes at a time when Kenya and France are seeking to build on the momentum generated by the Africa Forward Summit and translate the agreements reached into tangible projects.

The summit’s outcomes have positioned the Kenya-France partnership beyond traditional diplomatic engagement, placing infrastructure, digital transformation, science and energy at the centre of bilateral cooperation.