6th European Union - African Union Summit: A Joint Vision for 2030
Last week, on 17 and 18 February, European Union leaders and African Union member states met in Brussels for the sixth European Union - African Union summit. The EU and the AU have decided together on priorities to invest in: green transition, transport networks, sustainable agriculture, healthcare and education.
The European Union is the first trading partner and the first investor in Africa. President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said that “Europe wants to remain Africa's first partner, a loyal partner. And we are moving – right now – from words to action.” She added that the first regional plan under EU’s big investment strategy, Global Gateway, is the Africa-Europe plan, with more than EUR 150 billion of investment.”
The EU-AU Summit closed with a joint statement announcing a Joint Vision for 2030, to build a common future, as closest partners and neighbours. The aim of the Joint Vision is to consolidate a renewed Partnership for solidarity, security, peace and sustainable and sustained economic development and prosperity for our citizens and for our future generations, bringing together our people, regions and organisations.
Europe is Africa's number one partner in the fight against COVID-19. European Union leaders and African Union member states announced their commitment to work together in several areas, starting from vaccines and the fight against Covid-19 pandemic, and expanding to economic recovery, finance and scientific research.
EU and Africa cooperation include also three support packages for investment, health and education, as well as renewed cooperation in peace and security and enhanced and reciprocal partnership for migration and mobility.
European Union leaders and African Union member states also reiterated their commitment to multilateralism. The EU and the AU will work together to promote effective multilateralism within the rules-based international order, with the UN at its core.
In the margins of the sixth European Union - African Union summit, over 10,000 delegates from Europe, Africa and beyond participated in the first Africa-Europe Week together with 15,000 delegates in the 7th EU-Africa Business Forum (EABF). Hosted in a hybrid format in Brussels and virtually, during over 100 sessions, panel discussions and concerts, this new forum’s objective has been to strengthen cross-continent people-to-people relations, through providing a space for youth, civil society (CSO), cultural actors and the private sector to discuss the aspects of the Africa-Europe partnerships that matter most to them. At the EABF, financial institutions, business organisations and other actors signed or announced more than 20 agreements to support areas such as health, agriculture, clean energy, youth and entrepreneurship, digital, automotive and others.
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Sixth European Union - African Union Summit: A Joint Vision for 2030