India, May 14 -- French President Emmanuel Macron is facing backlash after he interrupted a panel at the Africa Forward Summit in Kenya to demand silence from the audience.

Macron stormed the stage to rebuke audience members for what he called a "total lack of respect", accusing them of disrupting speakers during a presentation by artists and young entrepreneurs. He had earlier described himself as a "Pan-Africanist" during a news conference.

The summit is meant to showcase France's new policy for the continent - a shift from a former colonial power seen as dominating to what Paris describes as a partnership of equals.

On Tuesday, Macron announced a $27 billion investment into various sectors in Africa, including energy, artificial int...