President William Ruto has arrived in Évian-les-Bains, France, accompanied by First Lady Rachel Ruto, ahead of the G7 Leaders’ Summit, where he is expected to represent Africa and champion the continent’s interests before some of the world’s most influential leaders.
According to State House, Ruto’s participation follows an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron and reflects Kenya’s growing influence on the global stage. During the summit, the president is expected to present Africa’s collective position on key issues, including economic transformation, climate action, digital development and reforms to the global financial system. The agenda is based on resolutions adopted during the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi last month.
The summit will bring together leaders from major economies, including the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the European Union.
State House said Ruto will use the platform to advocate for fairer access to financing, increased investment in Africa and reforms aimed at creating jobs, supporting entrepreneurship and accelerating economic growth across the continent. He is also expected to call for stronger partnerships in trade, infrastructure, energy, innovation and climate resilience.
Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies will feature prominently in the discussions. Ruto is expected to present Africa’s position on AI governance while pushing for greater investment in digital infrastructure, innovation ecosystems and technology skills development.
On the sidelines of the summit, he is scheduled to meet global technology leaders, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and executives from major firms such as Google, Microsoft, Meta, Nvidia and Anthropic, as well as hold bilateral talks aimed at attracting investment into key sectors of Kenya’s economy.
Photos of Ruto in France for G7 Summit below:
