France uses Kenya summit to promote new Africa partnership model
France is using a major summit in Kenya to promote what it describes as a new model of partnership with African countries.
The gathering comes as France completes a military withdrawal from West African countries.
On the second day of the event, heads of state are meeting with leaders of French and African businesses.
The summit is taking place in Kenya and is being used to set out France's political message to African partners.
The timing matters because the withdrawal from West Africa is widely seen as a sign of declining French influence on the continent.
The summit also comes as France has invited Kenya to attend the G7 summit.
The event is intended to present a broader reset in France-Africa relations, with business and political discussions taking place alongside each other.
That makes the summit a notable moment in France's effort to rebuild its standing in Africa.
The supplied information does not give details of any formal agreements, specific policy announcements or the full list of participants.
