On Wednesday, the Foreign Ministers of the European Union and African Union (AU) pledged to strengthen cooperation in peace, security and economic partnerships between the two continents, highlighting the urgency of the transition from commitment to implementation.
Their pledge came as a result of the third Minister’s EU-AU meeting in Brussels. This said the Council of Europe has halted progress since the last EU-AU summit in February 2022.
A statement read by the Vice Chair of the AU Committee said that the parties “reaffirm their commitment to strengthening multilateralism and international cooperation and maintain the integrity of international law as the basis for a fair and fair world order.”
“It is important to maintain collective efforts to enhance the inclusiveness and effectiveness of multilateral institutions, centered around the United Nations. We emphasized the need for ongoing cooperation in pursuit of peace and security,” the statement said.
The AU said both blocs were “committed to encouraging investments that will enhance economic ties, promote integrated and resilient markets and promote inclusive growth and create opportunities across both continents.”
Co-chaired by EU Foreign Secretary Kaja Karas and AU Executive Council Chairman Tete Antonio, Wednesday’s meeting lies in a rapidly changing geopolitical context and volatility.
In light of this, the EU’s foreign policy director emphasized that the EU and its member states remain Africa’s first and closest cooperative partners.
When foreign ministers from both continents last met, Russia did not begin a full-scale invasion of its neighbor Ukraine, so the war in Sudan had not begun, and France, a key member of the 27-nation EU bloc, had not lost its influence in the Sahel, where the troops departed due to tensions in Russia last year.
Crows pointed to what she called a “story battle everywhere,” saying it was “one of the tools Russia uses, especially in Africa.”
“We need to fight misinformation and foreign maliciousness must always have an impact, but of course it’s getting more and more difficult,” Karas said. “But that doesn’t mean we have to give up. We still have to counter the story and fight misinformation,” she emphasized.
Does the EU have a Sahel strategy?
This commitment is important for Brussels, but the same cannot be said for countries affected by the Sahel, such as Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger. There, the government has established stronger bilateral relations and deepened its defensive cooperation with the Kremlin at the expense of France.
Faced with press issues and changing dynamics, Karas announced that Brussels has a new special representative for the Sahel region.
“We will also discuss the new Sahel strategy, so there are many bilateral meetings today, asking African countries for their views.
The heartfelt atmosphere on Wednesday was evident as foreign ministers exchanged views on EU-AU partnerships and ways to further strengthen cooperation in what is the groundbreaking year for Brox.
While the EU is trying to find a solution to Russia’s Ukrainian war and rethinking its approach to the Trump administration and the Transatlantic Alliance, Africa is aiming to end the Sudan conflict and fatal conflicts and tensions in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
According to Karas, the EU’s support for African partners through European peace facilities is over 1 billion euros, with more than half of the EU’s common security and defense policy missions operating in Africa.
In March, the UN reported that Sudan’s civil war had created the world’s largest and most devastating humanitarian crisis. Over 30 million people need assistance this year, and 16 million children are trying to survive in dire circumstances.
“We continue to support the African Union in this (to resolve the crisis). Regionally, regarding mediation efforts, Karas said.
EU-AU to celebrate the 25th anniversary
The Brussels Conference was attended by a delegation of over 70 people, including over 50 ministers, with several priorities coming from the discussion, focusing on greater cooperation in key raw materials, artificial intelligence, regional integration, mobility and mobility flows.
Other new major commitments, the AU said, include moving forward in food security, strengthening educational opportunities, and promoting cultural exchanges between the two continents, in the face of the impacts of climate change.
Last year, the AU committee, representing 55 countries and around 1.5 billion people, became fully members of the G20. “We were, for example, the strongest advocates of the African Union’s G20 membership,” Callas told the AU Foreign Minister on Wednesday.
Later this year, the EU and AU will commemorate the 25th anniversary of what the Council of Europe calls “a permanent and unique partnership.”
The celebrations for the 7th EU-AU Summit in Africa have not yet been announced.
