By Fridah Mbuvi, June 16, 2026
President William Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto have arrived in Évian-les-Bains, France, to take part in the 52nd G7 Leaders’ Summit, following an official invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron.
President Ruto is attending the high-level meeting as a guest leader representing the African continent, with a focus on advancing a unified African position on global economic and development priorities.
The Head of State is expected to present a continental roadmap developed during the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi. The framework prioritises economic transformation, reforms in the global financial system, climate action, and accelerated digital expansion across Africa.
A key part of President Ruto’s agenda is advocating for reforms to the international financial architecture, with the aim of improving developing countries’ access to affordable credit and unlocking large-scale financing for development projects across Africa.
On the sidelines of the summit, President Ruto is scheduled to hold bilateral and strategic economic meetings with global technology leaders, including executives from OpenAI, Google, Microsoft, Meta, Nvidia and Anthropic. The discussions are expected to focus on positioning Kenya as a leading technology and innovation hub in Africa, with an emphasis on job creation for young people.
The Kenyan delegation also includes Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who will participate in investment discussions targeting sectors such as manufacturing, renewable energy, housing, and healthcare under Kenya’s National Infrastructure Fund framework.
The three-day summit, running from June 15 to 17, 2026, brings together global leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Beyond Africa’s development agenda, the G7 meeting will also address major global issues such as the ongoing Ukraine conflict, diplomatic relations involving the United States and Iran, and emerging frameworks for artificial intelligence governance and safety regulations.
President Ruto is expected to outline Kenya’s position on strengthening international partnerships while advocating for inclusive global economic growth during the high-stakes engagements in France.
