French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called for stronger African representation in international institutions, including the UN Security Council, global financial bodies and the G20.
"Africa must be better represented in international institutions, at the United Nations Security Council, in global financial institutions, as well as in the G20, where we supported its integration," Macron said during the opening session of the Africa Forward summit.
He said the summit reflected a shift toward a forward-looking partnership between Africa and France, stressing that cooperation should not be based on past relations but on shared future priorities.
"The agenda that Africa and France ... should not look to the past, but straight ahead," he said.
He said France's approach over the past decade had aimed to balance historical reflection with cooperation based on investment in areas such as culture, sports, education and economic development.
He stressed that the partnership model should move away from aid-based relations toward investment-led cooperation.
Macron underlined that future cooperation should focus on co-investment in sectors including artificial intelligence, health, agriculture, energy and industry.
He said Africa should be seen as a "true partner" rather than a source of raw materials.
Macron also referred to €23 billion (nearly $25.2 billion) in investment commitments linked to the summit, including contributions from French and African companies.
He noted that development would also require reforms in fiscal policy and better mobilization of international financial institutions, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.
The French president added that Africa, as the world's youngest continent, was already a "force of the present" as well as the future.
