On October 4, 2026, Benin's President Romuald Wadagni was received by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace in Paris. The meeting was part of a working dinner organized by the Africa-France Impact Coalition (AFIC) to discuss economic issues related to African development. The two leaders discussed private investment, industrialization, and the development of value chains in Africa. This meeting is an opportunity for Benin to strengthen its attractiveness to African and French investors and mobilize more private capital for its development.
During the meeting, President Wadagni presented Benin's openness to private African and French investment. This orientation is part of Benin's strategy to consolidate its economic attractiveness and increase the mobilization of private financing. The discussions also focused on the evolution of investment flows in Africa since the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi on May 11-12, 2026. The exchanges should allow for an examination of the prospects for concretizing the commitments made during this international meeting.
President Wadagni and Emmanuel Macron also exchanged views with Baïdy Agne, president of Business Africa and the Senegalese National Employers' Council. The discussions focused on several economic priorities for the continent, including the role of the private sector in accelerating growth and development. Industrialization was also at the center of the discussions, with a focus on strengthening value creation on the continent and developing structuring projects in various value chains.
The question of employment and the prospects offered to African youth was also among the issues discussed. The goal is to promote investments capable of supporting the continent's economic transformation while strengthening local production capacities. This meeting, which follows the Africa-France summit in Nairobi, aims to ensure the follow-up of cross-border investment projects identified during this meeting and to promote their implementation.
The dinner organized at the Élysée Palace is one of the first major events of President Wadagni's working visit to France. It takes place in a context where the current occupant of the Marina intends to strengthen Benin's economic partnerships with its international partners. The discussions should allow for an examination of the means of mobilizing private investments to support Benin's development.
President Wadagni's visit to France is an opportunity for Benin to strengthen its economic partnerships and mobilize private investment to support its development. The meeting with President Macron and other stakeholders is a crucial step in this process. Benin aims to consolidate its economic attractiveness and increase the mobilization of private financing to support its development.
The Africa-France Impact Coalition (AFIC) plays a key role in promoting economic development in Africa through private investment. The coalition's efforts aim to support the continent's economic transformation and strengthen its attractiveness to investors. Benin's participation in this coalition is an opportunity for the country to benefit from the expertise and resources of international partners.
Key points
- President Romuald Wadagni meets French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss private investment and economic development in Africa.
- Benin aims to strengthen its attractiveness to African and French investors and mobilize more private capital for its development.
- The discussions focused on private investment, industrialization, and the development of value chains in Africa.
