Highlight 42/2024: A Renewed EU-Africa Partnership: A New Era in Multilateralism, the Way Forward
Jesse Da Costa, 19 November 2024
In our fast-changing global environment, diplomatic relationships that were formed based on the colonial past are rapidly changing into more dynamic, cooperative, and equal partnerships.
Today, the relationship between the European Union (EU) and African states is witnessing a very significant shift within the global multilateral system. This new partnership is aiming to forge a relationship that is based on mutual respect, shared values, and common goals. This new epoch of partnerships does not just embody a bilaterial shift but a wider crusade towards a new form of multilateralism; one that reflects equality, diversity, and anchored on sustainable development as clearly stated in both the Cotonou Agreement and its successor agreement, the Samoa Agreement.
To grasp the path forward the EU-Africa cooperation, it is paramount to take a deep dive into the motivations, strategies and challenges to building a mutual and enduring partnership. Historically, the relationship between these two entities which has been flawed by the paternalistic predispositions, huge economic asymmetry and the colonial past. Often the partnership embraced the top-down approach in Trade agreements, policy frameworks, and development assistance rather than equal cooperation.
Notwithstanding, the continent of Africa has experience meaningful transformation in the last decade. Africa today has the youngest and fastest growing population; it is also having the fastest growing economies in the world. Equally, Africa is considered to have significantly grown diplomatically within the multilateral system as evident its assertive diplomatic position on world affairs over the years. This change, therefore, signals that Africa cannot be seen only as a dependent on foreign aids but a key player within the current global issues such migration, peace and security, climate change, and trade.
On the other hand, It is essential for EU to have a renewed partnership with Africa. This is true because of the growing strategic partnerships of China and Russian with African states, and the changing engagement of the United States in Africa due to the geopolitical shift (Growing influence of China and Russia in Africa’s development Assistance). This shift highlights the urgent need for forging and redefining the role the EU will have in Africa. The strategic importance of Africa is also in the rise due to its large natural resource endowment, geographic strategic position, and huge economic potentials. The European Union must engage Africa on a beneficial and equal terms if it would have any chance to equalize the rising influence of China and Russia and building lasting trade relations and stronger security cooperation.
The partnership between EU and Africa is centered around key areas, each pillar reflects their common interests and global importance. These areas of cooperation include peace and security, migration, trade, economic cooperation, sustainable development, and climate action. Tackling these issues effectively would be a significant turning point towards establishing a meaningful form of multilateralism.
Certainly, there is a promise of European Union and an Africa Partnership. However, this partnership is challenged by a history of mistrust, conflicting interests, uneven power asymmetry. Shared collaboration, transparency, and mutual respect between these two partnerships is key for overcoming these obstacles. In this new form of partnership must allow African to set its own development agenda, building and prioritizing African led solutions with respect to her local context.
Importantly, this new era of partnership must prioritize credibility, inclusivity, people centered initiatives that accommodates civil society, the youth, and private sector engagements. The youthful population of Africa can be a blessing or a huge challenge to this partnership. It must create opportunities for education and employment opportunities to ensure an enduring partnership.
Jesse Da Costa, Highlight 42/2024 – A Renewed EU-Africa Partnership: A New Era in Multilateralism, the Way Forward, 19 November 2024, available at www.meig.ch
The views expressed in the MEIG Highlights are personal to the authors and neither reflect the positions of the MEIG Programme nor those of the University of Geneva.