EU-Africa relations: Strategies for a renewed partnership

What next for relations between Europe and Africa?

The Joint Africa-EU Strategy is ten years old this year. What next for relations between Europe and Africa?

With a new European Commission communication on EU-Africa relations being published, and with the fifth EU-Africa summit taking place this autumn, Friends of Europe launches a major new report examining the strategies for a renewed partnership that tackles the changing geopolitical, development, social and economic challenges facing both continents.

The report covers in particular:

• Migration, and how the EU’s prioritisation of reducing flows may be distorting its strategic approach to Africa
• Demographics, and the need for private sector investment to help create up to 14 million jobs each year
• Improving governance to ensure political inclusion and stable societies and economies
• Strategic approaches to conflict resolution and security
• Focus on young people, and how the Abidjan AU-EU summit may take this as its broad strategic theme
• Issues such as urbanisation and climate change
• The AU-EU partnership and the importance of both sides stepping up strategic and creative thinking

Our report and its conclusions is based on a series of in-depth interviews with key European and African decision-makers, and a survey of 160 leading stakeholders.

This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of Friends of Europe and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.