NAIROBI, Kenya — French President Emmanuel Macron briefly halted proceedings during a youth forum at the University of Nairobi on Monday after sharply rebuking sections of the audience for disrupting a speaker at an event linked to the Africa Forward Summit.
The incident occurred during a high-level panel discussion attended by William Ruto and Macron, where the two leaders engaged young people on technology, education reform, innovation and Africa’s digital future.
As noise levels escalated inside the packed auditorium while one of the speakers was addressing attendees, Macron abruptly walked towards the stage, took the microphone and directly addressed the audience in visibly frustrated remarks.
“Excuse me, everybody. Hey, hey, hey!” Macron called out.
“I’m sorry guys, but it’s impossible to speak about culture to have people like that super inspired coming here, making a speech with such a noise.”
The French President criticised what he described as disrespectful behaviour and urged attendees engaged in side conversations to leave the hall if they were unwilling to listen.
“This is a total lack of respect!” Macron admonished.
“So I suggest if you want to have bilaterals or speak about somebody else, I mean something else, you have bilateral rooms or you go outside. If you want to stay here, we listen to the people and we’re playing the same game, okay? Thank you.”
The hall fell silent moments after the remarks, with sections of the audience applauding as Macron handed back the microphone.
“And this, ladies and gentlemen, is cold leadership,” a moderator remarked afterward.
The moment quickly spread across social media platforms, where clips of Macron’s intervention triggered mixed reactions, with some praising the French leader for defending decorum while others debated the tone of his response.
The youth forum formed part of activities surrounding the Africa Forward Summit currently underway in Nairobi, a two-day meeting co-hosted by Kenya and France that has brought together heads of state, policymakers, investors, innovators and young entrepreneurs from across Africa and Europe.
Organisers say more than 1,500 political, institutional and business leaders are attending the summit, which is focused on trade, technology, innovation, climate action, infrastructure and reforms to global financial systems.
The summit also marks a diplomatic milestone for France, with Nairobi becoming the first non-Francophone African city to co-host the high-level gathering alongside Paris in more than five decades.
Speaking during the same session, President Ruto defended Kenya’s ongoing Competency-Based Education reforms, arguing that the traditional education model no longer adequately prepares learners for a rapidly changing global economy shaped by artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
“The previous education system was about how much you could remember, memorise and regurgitate,” Ruto said.
The Kenyan President said the reforms are intended to align education with labour market demands through increased focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Ruto also highlighted the government’s digital infrastructure agenda, including the rollout of 30,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable aimed at positioning Kenya as a regional technology and innovation hub.
Macron, meanwhile, praised Kenya’s growing digital economy and called on African countries to strengthen investments in computing infrastructure, energy generation and artificial intelligence systems.
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“We wish to build partnerships on an equal footing, founded on shared interests and tangible results,” Macron said.
“The Africa Forward Summit will be a significant milestone in that endeavour. For the first time, France and an English-speaking African country will co-chair this event, symbolising an open and future-focused relationship.”
The summit comes amid broader efforts by France to rebuild and recalibrate its relationship with Africa following shifting geopolitical dynamics, particularly in parts of West and Central Africa where French influence has faced increasing scrutiny in recent years.
For Kenya, hosting the summit reinforces Nairobi’s growing role as a continental diplomatic and innovation centre, with discussions expected to shape future Africa-Europe cooperation in investment, digital transformation and sustainable development.
