"I'm going to restore order." The astonishing video of Macron calming down an overly noisy room in Kenya

The scene surprised participants gathered in Nairobi on Monday for the Africa Forward summit. During a conference on culture, Emmanuel Macron interrupted the proceedings to ask for silence in a room that had become too noisy. Seated in the front row, the President of the Republic stood up and walked to the stage. Visibly annoyed by the continued conversations in the audience, Emmanuel Macron took the microphone to remind the participants to be quiet.

"It's impossible to talk about culture with so much noise."

Faced with the uproar, Emmanuel Macron first addressed the room firmly. The head of state explained that it was impossible to continue a discussion on culture under such conditions. The French president then asked those who wished to continue the discussion to leave the room. Those who remained, he said, should listen to the speakers and respect the meeting's rules. The intervention caused a moment of hesitation in the assembly, before a few claps.

A reminder of the rules in the middle of a diplomatic sequence

As a reminder, the Africa Forward summit, co-organized by France and Kenya, aims to strengthen partnerships between France and the African continent. The event brings together political leaders, economic actors, representatives of civil society, artists, and members of the diaspora. The choice of Nairobi is symbolic. For Emmanuel Macron, holding this summit in Kenya demonstrates that the relationship between France and Africa is no longer limited to Francophone countries historically linked to Paris.

France wants to turn the page on "reserved area"

For several years, Emmanuel Macron has sought to redefine relations between France and African countries. The French president claims to want to move beyond the image of a "reserved area" French influence on the continent. In Nairobi, he reiterated that this era was over, even as France's image has deteriorated in several African countries. Diplomatic tensions, criticism of French influence, and competition from other powers have weakened Paris's position on the continent. Will Emmanuel Macron's intervention restore France's popularity? That remains to be seen…