DAR ES SALAAM, June 25 -- THE Africa Forward Summit, recently held in Nairobi, Kenya, remains fresh in the minds of many who follow African development, investment and the evolving legacy of colonial relationships.

Co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron and Kenyan President William Ruto, the summit sought to redefine relations between France and Africa at a time when the continent is becoming increasingly influential in global economics and geopolitics.

Beyond the speeches and investment pledges, however, the summit raised a fundamental question: can France genuinely build a new partnership with Africa while overcoming the historical baggage of its colonial past?

For more than six decades since African independence, relations be...