Macron interrupts Africa summit session to restore order during cultural discussion

French President Emmanuel Macron briefly interrupted a session at the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi to call for silence in the auditorium during a discussion on culture and partnership between Africa and France.

The incident took place during the summit held on May 11 in the Kenyan capital. The event, organised jointly by France and Kenya, focused on strengthening economic and political ties between African nations and France, French media reports. 

Amid growing noise in the hall, Macron, who had been seated in the front row, walked onto the stage and took the microphone to address attendees.

“Excuse me, everyone… Hey, hey! I’m sorry, but it’s impossible to talk about culture with all this noise,” Macron said, drawing applause from parts of the audience.

He then urged participants either to remain attentive or leave the room if they wished to hold separate conversations.

“Here’s what I suggest: if you want to discuss other matters, you can leave. If you want to stay here, we’ll listen to the speakers and play by the same rules,” he said.

The Africa Forward summit is part of France’s broader effort to redefine its relationship with African countries amid changing geopolitical dynamics and criticism of Paris’s historical role on the continent.

During the forum, Macron said France was seeking to move beyond what he described as an outdated model of influence in Africa, stating: “That era is over.”

Later in the event, the French president again referred to the disruptions in the hall, remarking with a smile that “silence usually silences the noise,” while acknowledging that attendees were free to hold private discussions outside the meeting room.

By Sabina Mammadli