The shift follows one of the most significant geopolitical realignments in Africa since the end of formal colonial rule. Senegal and Chad have also requested the withdrawal or reduction of French military forces, arguing that national sovereignty requires African governments to determine their own defence priorities. Across Africa, governments and civil society groups have increasingly questioned whether those arrangements delivered equitable development or primarily served external strategic interests. At the Nairobi summit, Kenyan President William Ruto welcomed deeper cooperation but made clear that future partnerships must reflect Africa’s changing priorities. A continued decline in French influence would reduce Paris’ diplomatic leverage and commercial footprint in one of the world’s fastest-transforming regions.