President William Ruto has urged African countries to move from policy discussions and declarations to practical investment projects that can speed up industrial growth and economic transformation across the continent.
Speaking on Tuesday at the Africa Forward Summit 2026 held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, Ruto said Africa must now focus on implementing existing commitments and delivering results that directly support manufacturing, trade, infrastructure and economic expansion.
The President told African leaders, policymakers and development partners attending the summit that the continent’s future depends on turning plans into action through investment-driven projects and coordinated reforms.
“We move decisively from ambition to execution, from commitments to bankable projects and from dialogue to delivery,” he said.
Ruto said African governments, including Kenya, must fully implement agreements on regulatory harmonisation, market integration and industrial policy reforms to unlock the continent’s manufacturing potential and strengthen sustainable economic growth.
“To African governments like Kenya, let us fully implement our commitments on regulatory harmonization, market integration and industrial policy so that we can unlock Africa’s manufacturing potential.”
The summit brought together Heads of State, senior government officials, development partners and business leaders for discussions focused on strengthening cooperation among African countries, increasing intra-African trade and attracting investment into critical sectors of the economy.
Discussions at the summit are centred on improving industrial capacity, expanding transport and logistics systems, strengthening cross-border trade and accelerating economic transformation through coordinated policy implementation and strategic investments.
Ruto said Africa was no longer approaching global discussions from a weak position, noting that the continent has vast natural resources, growing markets and one of the world’s largest populations of young and innovative people.
“By the year 2050, one in every four people on earth will be African. That reality alone will shape the future of labour, markets, urbanisation, energy demand, and global economic growth,” he said.
The President said leaders attending the summit would focus on issues critical to Africa’s long-term growth, including domestic resource mobilisation, reform of the international financial system, expansion of transport and connectivity infrastructure, green industrialisation, energy transition and youth skills development in areas such as innovation, entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence.
He said Africa must urgently address the issue of financing its own development and reduce overreliance on aid and unsustainable debt.
“The era in which Africa’s development was principally framed through aid, dependency, and unsustainable borrowing must give way to a new paradigm grounded in investment, innovation, domestic resource mobilisation, and strategic partnerships built on sovereign equality and mutual benefit. Because Africa is not part of the global problem. Africa is part of the global solution,” he said.
“Our continent possesses vast natural resources, critical minerals, fertile land, immense renewable energy potential, expanding consumer markets, dynamic entrepreneurs, and the youngest population in the world.”
Ruto maintained that Africa has the resources, talent and market potential needed to drive global growth if governments commit to practical reforms, stronger partnerships and investment-led development strategies.