Fresh Details Emerge of French Soldiers Who Docked in Kenya

The French Embassy in Kenya has explained that the over 800 French naval officers who docked at the port of Mombasa are on a five-month mission patrolling the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

In a statement on Monday, March 16, the embassy said the officers made a 4-day stopover in Mombasa.

The French officers arrived in Kenya on Friday, March 13, with the stopover scheduled to conclude on Monday.

According to the French Embassy, the goal of the naval officers in Kenya is to ensure freedom of navigation and conclude the training of French and international officer cadets.

“A French naval task group - the Jeanne d'Arc operation comprising the Dixmude & Aconit warships - made a stopover to Mombasa from March 13th to 16th as part of a 5-month mission to patrol the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Their goal: to ensure freedom of navigation & conclude the training of French and international officer cadets,” the statement read.

The embassy went on to say Kenya and France share similar values, including respect for international law, maritime security, and free trade in the Indian and Pacific oceans.

“These are values we cherish as neighbors through French overseas territories, Mayotte and La Réunion. The Jeanne d'Arc mission played a role in ensuring maritime security in the region as part of the EU #Atalanta mission - demonstrating that the European Union is a reliable partner,” the Embassy stated.

Further, the French Embassy mentioned that in 2025, Kenya and France signed a bilateral defence cooperation agreement that provides a robust framework for developing constructive maritime cooperation, training, and joint activities.

“This mission, therefore, contributes to strengthening the relations between our armies,” added the Embassy.

The clarification comes after Kenyans online questioned the presence of the French naval officers in Kenya.

Notably, this comes ahead of the Africa-France Summit, which will be held in Nairobi in May 2026.

The agreement to host the Africa-France Summit was announced in September 2024 by President William Ruto and French President Emmanuel Macron during the 79th UN General Assembly in New York.

The move will be historic, given that this will be the first time a non-Francophone African country will be hosting the event.