French President Emmanuel Macron won applause and cheers from guests on Monday evening after delivering part of his remarks in fluent Swahili during a State Dinner hosted by William Ruto at State House, Nairobi.
Opening his address in Swahili, Macron greeted the audience warmly, saying: “Hamjambo! Asante sana President William kwa ukaribisho wako.”
The statement translates to: “How are you all doing? Thank you, President William, for your warm welcome.”
The unexpected use of Swahili by the French leader drew enthusiastic applause from African heads of state, diplomats, senior government officials and invited guests attending the high-profile dinner linked to the Africa Forward Summit.
Macron later continued his remarks in English before switching to French during parts of his speech, reflecting the multilingual tone of the summit, which has brought together leaders from across Africa and Europe for discussions on trade, investment, innovation and global cooperation.
The black-tie State Dinner, hosted by President Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto, formed part of activities surrounding the Africa Forward Summit currently underway in Nairobi.
Guests arrived in formal attire, with Ruto dressed in a black tuxedo paired with a bow tie, while Macron wore a black suit, white shirt and black tie.
The summit marks the first time the high-level Africa-France gathering is being co-hosted by a non-Francophone African country, underscoring Kenya’s growing diplomatic influence and Nairobi’s emergence as a regional hub for international conferences and political dialogue.
Earlier in the day, Macron generated further attention online after swapping diplomatic meetings for running shoes during a morning jog alongside Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge on the streets of Nairobi.
The French President and the two-time Olympic marathon champion were seen jogging through the city in a relaxed session that blended diplomacy, sport and public engagement.
At one point during the run, the pair briefly stopped at State House Primary School, where excited pupils rushed to greet them.
Macron later shared the moment on social media, writing: “Made new friends today!”
Witnesses said the French leader peeped through a classroom window before inviting the pupils outside to interact with him and Kipchoge.
When asked by a teacher to identify the visitors, the children responded enthusiastically: “Kipchoge and Emmanuel.”
Images and videos of the interaction quickly circulated online, adding a lighter human-interest dimension to Macron’s visit to Kenya.
The morning jog also highlighted Kipchoge’s global stature beyond athletics. Widely regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners in history, the Kenyan athlete has become an international symbol of endurance, discipline and sporting excellence.
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Macron’s public appearances in Nairobi come as the Africa Forward Summit enters a crucial phase, with African and European leaders discussing investment, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, digital transformation, climate financing and reforms to global financial institutions.
Kenya and France have already signed multiple bilateral agreements during the summit, including deals covering transport infrastructure, renewable energy, digital innovation, agriculture and education cooperation.
Analysts say Macron’s use of Swahili and public interactions with ordinary Kenyans reflect broader efforts by France to strengthen soft diplomacy and reshape its engagement with Africa amid evolving geopolitical dynamics across the continent.
For Kenya, hosting the summit reinforces Nairobi’s status as a major diplomatic and economic centre in Africa, with the city increasingly positioning itself as a gateway for international investment and regional policy discussions.
