Future of Africa–Europe Partnership: 25 Years of Cooperation Ahead of the 2025 AU–EU Summit in Lusaka

The Pan-African Parliament (PAP), in partnership with the European Parliament, Open Society Foundations (OSF), European Think Tanks Group (ETTG), and the Centre for Human Rights, convened a high-level dialogue titled “From Cairo to Luanda: A 25-Year Parliamentary Stocktake of AU–EU Relations.” The forum, held at the PAP headquarters in Midrand, provided a critical platform to evaluate a quarter century of Africa–Europe engagement and set a parliamentary tone for the forthcoming 7th AU–EU Summit in Lusaka, Zambia.

Revisiting 25 Years of Partnership

In their presentations, European and African experts traced the evolution of the AU–EU relationship from the 2000 Cairo Summit to the upcoming Luanda Summit, highlighting its historical, institutional, and political dimensions.

Dr. Benedikt Erforth of the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) noted that the relationship, though anchored in the vision of “natural partners,” remains marked by asymmetry, shifting priorities, and competing geopolitical interests. He recalled how the Yaoundé (1963), Lomé (1975), and Cotonou (2000) agreements framed Africa–EU cooperation, culminating in the 2023 Samoa Agreement, which introduced three regional pillars including one for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Dr. Erforth stressed that both regions now confront a changing world order defined by multipolarity, rising nationalism, and shifting trade alignments, requiring a new vision grounded in mutual respect and shared ownership. “The world in flux offers opportunities for the partnership to thrive but also exposes deep-seated perceptions of paternalism and inequality,” he said.

Peace and Security: From ‘African Solutions’ to Shared Responsibility

Dr. Julian Bergmann (IDOS) reminded participants that peace and security have been a cornerstone of AU–EU cooperation since the creation of the African Peace Facility (APF) in 2004. However, with the 2021 transition to the European Peace Facility (EPF): a global rather than Africa-focused mechanism, African agency in decision-making has diminished.

He noted that despite €3 billion in EU support through the APF, instability across the Sahel, Sudan, and Horn of Africa persists, while the proliferation of ad hoc coalitions undermines the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA). Dr. Bergmann urged the Luanda Summit to send a strong signal of renewed commitment, proposing:

• Standing consultations on mediation between AU and EU structures,
• Joint advocacy in multilateral fora (e.g., UNSC 2719), and
• Enhanced cooperation on cybersecurity and hybrid threats.

Global Gateway and Green Industrialization

Ms. Elisabeth Hege (IDDRI) examined the Africa–Europe Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI) and the EU’s Global Gateway, both framed as instruments to promote sustainable energy transitions. The AEGEI targets 50 GW of renewable power generation and 100 million new electricity connections by 2030, supported by over €20 billion in investment and €3.4 billion in grants.

She, however, cautioned that implementation lags behind announcements, with limited transparency and local ownership. Hege called for stronger parliamentary oversight, regional value addition in critical raw materials, and safeguards against a “race to the bottom” in investment incentives. “Partnerships must strengthen African industrialization and not replicate extractive models,” she emphasized.

Mobility, Skills and Migration

Dr. Sakhile Phiri (Nelson Mandela University) and Claire Kumar (ODI Global) tackled Africa–Europe cooperation on education, skills, and migration. Dr. Phiri’s presentation underscored the need to bridge Africa’s skills mismatch through the African Continental Qualifications Framework (ACQF) and sustained investment in research and development, arguing that “education is the backbone of industrial transformation.” He warned that debt servicing, averaging 12.6% of national budgets, continues to crowd out education financing across many African states.

Kumar, on the other hand, highlighted Europe’s ageing workforce and acute labour shortages, with over 250 shortage occupations in some EU countries and advocated for legal, circular migration pathways that can benefit both continents. Together, they framed migration not as a crisis but as an opportunity for shared demographic resilience.

Voices from the Pan-African Parliament

Members of the Pan-African Parliament took the floor after the expert presentations, calling for a reset in Africa–Europe relations toward a genuinely mutual partnership. They argued that existing frameworks are still driven largely by European perspectives and priorities, failing to reflect Africa’s development aspirations.

• Mutual respect and equity: Members insisted that the new partnership must be people-centred and economically empowering, not elite-driven or aid-dependent.
• Value addition and economic sovereignty: A Kenyan delegate lamented the “GDP displacement” that occurs when Africa exports raw materials without beneficiation, contributing to the continent’s marginal 3% share of global GDP.
• Negotiating from strength: Another member cautioned that Africa must learn from past experiences and avoid negotiating from positions of weakness, stressing the need for internal unity and data-backed strategies.
• Diversified partnerships: Several speakers referenced China’s growing engagement in Africa as an example that should compel Europe to offer fairer, less conditional partnerships.

As one member summarized: “Partnership must not be about who helps whom, but how both continents can prosper together.”

Looking Ahead to the 7th AU–EU Summit in Luanda

The Lusaka (Luanda) Summit, slated for late 2025, will be pivotal in redefining the Africa–Europe relationship around four key pillars: Prosperity and Sustainability, Peace and Security, Migration and Mobility, and Multilateralism.

PAP President H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira urged both parliaments to ensure that the “parliamentary dimension of the AU–EU partnership” evolves into a true democratic bridge between the peoples of the two continents.

Key Takeaways

• Reset the partnership on the principles of equality, accountability, and shared prosperity.
• Enhance parliamentary oversight on the implementation of AU–EU commitments.
• Prioritize industrialization, education, and green energy for Africa’s long-term growth.
• Develop fair mobility frameworks that align with both Africa’s youth potential and Europe’s labour needs.
• Move from aid to investment, from rhetoric to results.

The dialogue in Midrand marked both a reflection on the past and a roadmap for the future. As the AU and EU prepare for their Lusaka Summit, the Pan-African Parliament’s message was clear: a partnership for the next 25 years must be rooted in fairness, shared vision, and the aspirations of Africa’s people.