Alex Ritson

Well, it's largely seen as an attempt by France perhaps to broaden its relationship away from areas which are considered to be traditional areas in West Africa where France was a former colonial power.

And it's maybe a strategy to revamp its image and also to reset relations with Africa and

because the perception about France's relations with Africa has really been affected, especially considering what has been happening in West Africa, where it fallout with some of its former colonies, which include Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

But largely, France has been saying that it's an opportunity for it to reset its relations, which is largely focusing on economic opportunity.

They want to see how they can engage in a relationship that is largely mutually beneficial.

But I think beneath that, it's seeing how does it remain still relevant and how does it engage still parts of the continent that maybe still look at it favorably.

Yeah, you talk about mutually beneficial opportunities.

What is it specifically that France wants?

And are the East African countries really all that interested?

That's interesting because if you listen to President Macron's presentation on the first day of the summit, what he said is Africa really needs to be helped in terms of its ambition to become sovereign in the sense that relations, especially with former European colonial powers, it shouldn't focus on just aid but focusing on economic opportunities, so capacity building, especially when it comes to issues of critical minerals.

But then in East Africa,

I think a lot of people see France as coming a little bit too late to the party.

So there's still a level of skepticism, especially amongst the general population.

But generally, if you look even at the leaderships of the countries within the East African region, they're saying, OK, well, it's great that you're coming here.

But then it's an opportunity for us maybe just to diversify the relations that we have.

So coming in as another entity that we can relate to.

But then you wouldn't say really there's just generally that excitement that you would have expected.

Yeah.

Yeah, and this has been generally the economic age of China in Africa.

What are other Western countries?