Macron Courts Africa With ‘Third Way’ Vision Amid Rising U.S.-China Tensions

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks during the signing of bilateral agreements with Kenya at State House ahead of the Africa Forward: Africa- France Partnerships for Innovation and Growth Summit in Nairobi, on May 10, 2026. Photo by LUIS TATO / AFP

The words “predator” and “predatory” have figured prominently in French President Emmanuel Macron’s ongoing state visit to Kenya, where he’s been working hard to reposition France and Europe in Africa, contrasting their approach with China’s on the continent.

As he’s done repeatedly since he took office in 2017, Macron again on this trip condemned French and British colonialism in Africa, but said now, times are different and European powers are no longer “the predators of this century.”

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by Eric Olander

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