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Good afternoon.  

Today we had a broad and very engaging meeting, and I want to thank the Minister for his support to co-chair. Also on our side: it was a true Team Europe spirit, as there were several Ministers co-chairing this meeting.  

The partnership of the African Union and the European Union over the past 25 years has delivered concrete results. The presence here in Brussels of over 70 delegations, including more than 50 ministers, demonstrates how lively our shared commitment to deepen this partnership is. This paves the way for a successful summit later this year.  

As underlined to the Ministers, the European Union is the partner Africa can rely on. We are actively supporting peace and security on the African continent. EU support to African partners through the European Peace Facility is over €1 billion.  

More than half of all the EU Common Security and Defence Policy missions operate in Africa. These missions contribute directly to the stability of the continent. We have delivered drones, surveillance aircraft [and] maritime equipment to African partners. And we have been consistent in advocating for predictable UN funding for African Union-led peace operations.  

The European Union and Member States also remain Africa's first and closest cooperation partner. Nearly €150 billion in investment has been committed under the EU's Global Gateway strategy to enhance infrastructure, digital connectivity and green transitions all across Africa.  

The European Union is a champion for Africa's presence at the multilateral fora. We were the strongest advocate for the African Union's membership in [the] G20, for example. Together, the European Union and African Union represent around 40% of the votes in the United Nations. This gives us also shared global responsibility to make our voices heard and to push for the kind of reforms that we want to see in the United Nations. Our joint commitment to the UN Charter is clearly reaffirmed in the communiqué we adopted today.  

As we heard today, the will to do more is strong. Key priorities emerging from our discussions include commitment to greater collaboration in critical raw materials, artificial intelligence, regional integration and also mobility. These areas will shape the engagement in the lead up to the European Union-African Union summit later this year.  

Dear Minister,  

thank you again for co-chairing and also having these very good and fruitful discussions.  

Thank you, over to you. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-272118  

Q&A. 

Q. Madame Kallas, est-ce-que vous avez une réaction aux tirs qui ont eu lieu aujourd’hui à Jenin contre des diplomates européens en visite dans le territoire palestinien ? Sur la réunion que vous venez de co-présider aujourd’hui : le ministre français des Affaires étrangères ce matin a dit que la Russie est tout en train de pilonner l’Afrique avec une campagne de désinformation. Je voulais savoir si c’était quelque chose qui a été discutée aujourd’hui. Est-ce-que l’Union européenne a fait assez pour lutter contre cette désinformation ?  

Yes, I heard about the incident in Jenin today where Israel’s Defence Forces shot warning shots, but still shots, at a group of diplomats approaching the refugee camp, within the visit organised by the Palestinian Authority. We definitely call on Israel to investigate this incident and also hold accountable [those] who are responsible for this. Any threats on diplomats' lives are unacceptable. So, as Israel is also a signatory to the Vienna Convention, [it] has the obligation to guarantee the security of all foreign diplomats. So, I think this is important.  

When it comes to your other question regarding the misinformation. It is true that we have the fight of narratives everywhere and this misinformation is one of the tools that Russia is using, especially in Africa. We have to fight the misinformation and foreign malign influence all the time, but it is, of course, increasingly hard. We have developed tools, but it is hard because we are living in this information age. I always like to use the quote from Winston Churchill, which was made after the Second World War, where he said that [a] “lie is halfway across the world before the truth gets its pants on”. And now we are in living in an information age where it is very hard to fight the lies because they are traveling so fast and expanding so fast. But saying that does not mean that we have to give up. We still have to counter the narratives and fight the misinformation. It was addressed today also. It was raised by several actors that [stated] this is a real problem. Thank you. 

Q. Vous avez parlé du partenariat, et vous avez dit que le partenariat c’est renforcé et a évolué. Mais il reste une question pendante, c’est la question migratoire. On a l’impression qu'avec ce phénomène migratoire on a traité beaucoup plus les conséquences que les causes. Si on prend un secteur comme la pêche, qui est un secteur vital pour nos économies, il n’y a plus de pêche artisanale. C’est un moyen de subsistance pour les pêcheurs mais il n’y a plus de pêcheurs parce que simplement la mer ne produit plus de poisson. Tout le poisson a été dévoré par les navires européens et chinoises. Est-ce-que vous ne pensez pas que la réflexion aussi doit être au niveau de traiter les conséquences et non de s’adresser simplement plutôt aux causes du phénomène migratoire que des conséquences ? Est-ce-que vous avez réfléchi à cette problématique ? Parce que d’une réunion à une autre, la question migratoire est au cœur de l’agenda, mais le problème reste entier, et c'est devenu un phénomène record. Migration, mais il n’y a pas de solutions concrètes.  

On my side as well. Yes, we were talking about what the root cause of migration is. People do not want to leave their homes, unless they really have to. And when they have to, when they do not have jobs and they cannot provide living for their families. So, it is also in our interest that there is prosperity in Africa, there are jobs in Africa, and we do not have the migration pressure. Therefore, we discussed critical raw materials, for example. How is the technology transfer, so that you know the prosperity would stay in Africa – although we need the critical raw materials for our industry, but the jobs would be there. Then, we also discussed investments in Africa, and that is also related to access of capital. For example, the reform of international financial architecture, so that the access to capital wherever you make investments is similar. And of course, also prevention of conflict, because, again, why are people fleeing their homes? Because they cannot live there. So, all these topics were also on our agenda. We did not particularly discuss fish – although fish has been very on top of the agenda of the European Union recently, because we had the deal with the UK. But, in more general terms: what could be the cooperation points so that you know there would be jobs and prosperity in Africa, and therefore no migration pressure, so we would not also have those problems. 

Q. I have two questions. The one question is just with the increased military, with European countries spending more money on their own militaries, can we foresee any cuts to military spending in Africa, to military aid? You did mention the amount, but in future years as well, will that get less? And another question to follow on from the Palestine question earlier. The AU has historically been an ally of Palestine, a supporter of Palestine. Was there any pressure in this meeting, perhaps from the AU, for the EU to come out more strongly against the Israel's incursion into Gaza? In France, the UK and Canada have made such statements in recent times. And it has been strongly condemned by AU countries. I just want to know from the AU perhaps as well, is there any such pressure? 

First, on the defence investment. Yes, it is true that Member States are investing more in their defence. We [are] also thinking and discussing, what more can we do on the European level together. Because we are facing this threat that comes from Russia, we have to increase our defence expenditure. Now, we have the EPF [European Peace Facility], and as I mentioned, it is [over] €1 billion. Can I predict the future right now? I cannot. We have the discussions when it comes to the MFF [Multiannual Financial Framework], but that starts from 2028. Currently, we have issues with the EPF [with] funds being blocked. These are our internal issues that we need to deal with before we can move on.  

When it comes to condemning the action, then we have been also stating, from the European Union side, even yesterday, very strong statements regarding the humanitarian aid blockage that has to stop. It is humanitarian aid trucks that are mostly funded by European money, that are standing there and not getting in. Really, to help the people so in need in Gaza, specifically. We have been also on the same line. 

Q. J’ai une question, en langue française, sur la situation dans la région du Sahel, et la guerre qui continue en Soudan. Je voudrai bien que le ministre et la haute représentante réagissent à la situation de l’insécurité grandissante dans la région du Sahel, et cette guerre qui ne se termine pas au Soudan. L’impact que vous voyez sur l’ensemble de la région, mais également l’impact sur l’Union européenne et au-delà.   

I have a question on Palestine. The Israeli officials said yesterday, reacted yesterday to your statement, that the European Union does not comprehend what is going on the ground. Could you react to that? Mainly, or more substantially, Madame, could you tell us when could you expect that you will be able to come back with your conclusions to the Member States? Having in mind that you have dozens of reports of United Nations investigations, the European Union’s own reports – so the data and the reports you have. When could you expect to come back to the Member States with your conclusions?  

First on Sudan. Our first priority is the cessation of hostilities, because the people are really suffering there. We continue to support also the African Union in this, when it comes to the mediation efforts, regionally. All these processes also in Africa have to be African-led and African-owned, even if there is mediation needed. And of course, also the situation in Sahel is greatly worrying [to] us. We have a new Special Representative for the Sahel region, and we are also going to discuss the new Sahel strategy. That is why I also had many bilateral meetings today, also asking the African countries for their input. To really hear from the ground, how they see this, what could help, what could be the developments there, and what we could do. 

On your other question, then. We just want the human suffering to stop. Of course, we recognize these horrific terrorist attacks of the seventh of October. We have condemned the actions of Hamas, and we call on the ceasefire and all the hostages to be released. That is our common position. But at the same time international humanitarian law has to be followed, which means that you have to spare civilian lives. We see untenable loss of life. We see the humanitarian aid being blocked and not reaching the people in need. And that is what we want to stress also to Israel: to unblock the humanitarian aid, help the people in Gaza, and spare the civilians.  

Thank you. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-272570