Kenyan President William Ruto is set to use his participation at the G7 Summit in France to push for a stronger African voice in global economic decision-making, with debt reform, climate financing, trade and investment expected to dominate his agenda.
Ruto joins leaders of the world’s most advanced economies at the three-day summit being held in Évian-les-Bains from June 15 to 17, alongside invited partner countries including Kenya, India, Brazil and South Korea.
The invitation is being viewed as recognition of Kenya’s growing diplomatic influence and its role as a bridge between Africa and developed economies.
The summit, hosted by France under President Emmanuel Macron’s G7 presidency, takes place amid concerns over global economic imbalances, rising debt pressures and widening inequality between developed and developing nations.
Macron has placed global economic disparities at the centre of France’s G7 agenda, warning that persistent differences in trade and current account balances among major economies could threaten financial stability and global growth.
For Africa, however, the discussion goes beyond economic imbalances between wealthy countries.
African leaders are expected to use the platform to demand reforms to the international financial system, arguing that current structures do not adequately reflect the needs of developing economies or the realities of the modern global economy.
Ruto is expected to highlight Africa’s challenges, including high borrowing costs, debt distress, limited access to climate finance and insufficient representation in institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
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Many African countries are facing increasing pressure from debt repayments, with governments spending significant portions of their budgets servicing loans instead of investing in healthcare, education, infrastructure and job creation.
African governments have repeatedly called for debt restructuring mechanisms that are faster, more transparent and better suited to the economic realities facing developing nations.
Climate financing is another major issue expected to feature prominently during the discussions.
Although Africa contributes a relatively small share of global greenhouse gas emissions, the continent remains among the most vulnerable regions to climate-related shocks, including droughts, floods and extreme weather events.
African leaders have urged wealthy nations to meet climate finance commitments and increase support for adaptation measures, renewable energy and climate resilience projects.
Developed countries pledged in 2009 to mobilise $100 billion annually in climate finance for developing nations by 2020, but the commitment has not been fully met.
African policymakers have also criticised the structure of climate finance, noting that much of the funding is delivered as loans rather than grants, increasing pressure on already heavily indebted economies.
Trade and investment will also be central to Africa’s message at the summit.
The continent is seeking greater investment in infrastructure, manufacturing, digital technologies and industries that create jobs and add value to raw materials rather than relying primarily on commodity exports.
Kenya has been at the forefront of calls for reforms that would encourage private investment and reduce the cost of financing for developing economies.
The issues were also discussed during the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi, where African and European leaders explored ways to strengthen economic partnerships and accelerate sustainable development.
Analysts say Ruto’s participation provides Kenya with an opportunity to position itself as a leading African voice on global economic reforms.
“Ruto will not only represent Kenya but will carry broader African expectations for a fairer global system,” international relations analyst James Wamae said.
Africa has long argued that institutions created after the Second World War no longer reflect current global economic realities, given the growing contribution of emerging economies to global growth.
The continent is seeking a larger role in decisions that affect international finance, trade and development policies.
This is not Ruto’s first appearance at a G7 summit. In 2024, he attended the gathering in Italy, where he advocated stronger partnerships between Africa and developed economies and called for reforms to global financing structures.
His return to the forum reinforces Kenya’s expanding diplomatic engagement and its growing strategic relationship with France and other G7 members.
For African leaders, the summit represents another opportunity to move the continent’s priorities from the margins of global discussions to the centre of economic decision-making.
