Europe and Africa will meet in Brussels on 17 and 18 February. Representatives of the 27 member states of the European Union and the 55 member states of the African Union are expected by Charles Michel, President of the European Council, to discuss issues related to their partnership. Emmanuel Macron, the French head of state, holds the presidency of the EU for the first half of the year. On the other hand, it is Macky Sall, his Senegalese counterpart, who will represent Africa as the new chairperson of the AU. What can be expected from this meeting given that France’s relations with Africa are becoming increasingly fragile?
The 6th Summit between the European Union and the African Union will take place on 17 and 18 February in Brussels in a special atmosphere. While the 5th EU-AU summit has been held since 2017 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and the next edition has been postponed several times for covid-19, this one promises to be very rich in reflections. Indeed, the challenges and threats, but also the desires and needs, have perhaps never been more apparent between the two continents.
Many heads of state, opponents and members of civil society from both continents will be in Brussels. Countless meetings, seminars and conferences will be organised to try to “lay the foundations for a renewed and deepened partnership” between the two continents but also to try to tackle the most sensitive issues.
“Africa is more determined than ever to take its destiny into its own hands,” the new African Union leader said in his inaugural speech, promising to work towards “renewed, fairer and more equitable partnerships” with international partners. Consequently, the economic stakes are to be taken into account in a context where Europe is Africa’s leading partner and investor. Thus, one of the objectives of the summit is to launch an ambitious Africa-Europe investment package while taking into account climate change and the crisis of covid-19.
In fact, the objective of the Europeans is to further connect their domestic market to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and to establish a very large trading area over most of the African continent. Not to mention that the European Union with its multilateral presence is only increasing its revenues on the continent through trade which has increased to over 200 billion between 2016 and 2020.
In addition, questions of security and political stability are imperatively on the agenda of these exchanges between Europeans and Africans. With the succession of coups in Guinea, Mali and Burkina Faso, there are deep concerns. European armies in the Sahel and the Russian paramilitary group Wagner need to be reorganised to face the threats of terrorism together. Both continents have an interest in working together, in strengthening dialogue “in order to find operational solutions together”. At this stage, it is not yet certain that Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso will be present in Brussels, as they have been suspended by the African Union since the military putschists took power by force.
Other no less important topics relating to migration, health systems and vaccine production, education, culture, vocational training… will also be at the heart of the debates. In any case, on the eve of this major meeting between Europeans and Africans, it is fair to ask whether this summit will reshape Europe-Africa relations.
At the end of the summit, the milestones for the relationship between the two continents desired by Europeans and Africans for 2030 should be set out in a joint declaration.
