Macron wows guests with fluent Swahili at State Dinner

French President Emmanuel Macron speaking at State Dinner on May 11, 2026 / Screengrab

French President Emmanuel Macron impressed guests with fluent Swahili during a State Dinner hosted by President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi, on Monday evening.

Opening his remarks in Swahili, Macron greeted the audience, saying, “Hamjambo! Asante sana President William kwa ukaribisho wako.”

The statement translates to: “How are you all doing? Thank you, President William, for your warm welcome.”

His remarks drew applause and cheers from guests attending the dinner.

Macron later proceeded with his speech in English before switching to French during his address.

The State Dinner brought together presidents and leaders from across Africa attending the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi.

The event was hosted by President Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto and featured a black-tie theme, with guests arriving in elegant formal attire.

President Ruto wore a black suit paired with a white shirt and bow tie, while Macron donned a black suit, a white shirt and a black tie.

In the morning, President Macron shared a light moment with school children during his morning run alongside marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge.

During the run, Macron and Kipchoge passed by State House Primary School, where they briefly stopped to interact with excited pupils.

The children rushed to greet the two leaders with excitement as they entered the school compound.

At one point, Macron peeped through a classroom window and invited the pupils to come outside and meet them.

Accompanied by their teacher, the pupils were asked who the visitors were, and they quickly responded: “Kipchoge and Emmanuel.”

Sharing the experience afterwards, Macron said, “Made new friends today!”

Macron swapped the formal atmosphere of high-level summit meetings for running shoes on as he joined Kenyan marathon icon Kipchoge for a jog on the streets of Nairobi.

Macron, who is in Kenya for the Africa Forward Summit, was spotted jogging alongside the two-time Olympic champion in a relaxed morning session that quickly drew attention online.

The French leader was dressed in a navy blue track shirt featuring a thick white stripe on the sleeves, paired with black shorts and blue running shoes.

Beside him, Kipchoge appeared calm and composed in matching running gear, with the pair seemingly engaged in conversation as they paced through the Nairobi roads.

Trailing behind them was a group of runners and what appeared to be members of the presidential security team, keeping stride as the two maintained a steady pace.

The rare sight of a sitting French president jogging alongside one of Kenya’s greatest athletes offered a lighter moment away from the busy schedule of the Africa Forward Summit, which has brought together heads of state, investors and policymakers in Nairobi.

Kipchoge, widely regarded as one of the greatest marathon runners in history, has become a global symbol of endurance and discipline, attracting admiration from world leaders and sports enthusiasts alike.

The morning jog came as the high-level Africa Forward Summit officially got underway in Nairobi, drawing heads of state, senior government officials, investors, innovators and policymakers from across Africa and Europe.