EU Delegation hosts scholarly discussion on EU-China-Africa relations

On 26 September, the EU Delegation welcomed a group of scholars from AfriquEurope, a network of African and European universities and think tanks which is co-funded by the EU’s Jean Monnet programme. They were hosted for a policy debate on EU-China-Africa relations where they were joined by Chinese scholars.

In his opening remarks, the EU Ambassador to China Jorge Toledo recalled the value of academic exchanges as well as the special relationship between Europe and Africa. There is a shared interest to remain in dialogue with China about global issues, including African affairs. While noting points of agreement such as support for the membership of the African Union in the G20, Ambassador Toledo also pointed to divergences and underlined key principles of the EU’s approach to assistance and cooperation, including country ownership, transparency and mutual accountability, inclusive partnerships, financial and environmental sustainability. Dr. Mabel Lu Miao, co-founder and Secretary-General of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), also gave an opening speech.

In the following plenary and roundtable sessions, the scholars from Europe, Africa and China exchanged views on academic cooperation, as well as political, economic and cultural aspects of the trilateral relationship. They also answered questions from the audience.

European Union, 2024

European Union, 2024

European Union, 2024