Africa, Europe adopt new plan to boost trade, investment and development

Delegates pose at the 17th Annual Joint Consultative Meeting of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia./HANDOUT

The African Union (AU) and European Union (EU) have adopted a new implementation plan aimed at boosting trade, investment and development while strengthening political cooperation between the two continents.

The framework, known as the AU-EU Partnership Implementation Plan, was adopted during a Joint Senior Officials Meeting held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on November 4, 2026.

The meeting brought together senior representatives from AU and EU member states and institutions to agree on measures to translate commitments made during the 7th AU-EU Summit in Luanda, Angola, in November 2025, into practical outcomes.

The summit marked 25 years of the strategic partnership between Africa and Europe.

The new implementation plan identifies four priority areas: prosperity; peace, security and governance; people; and multilateralism.

It also establishes a follow-up mechanism to strengthen institutional coordination, monitor progress and improve accountability in implementing agreed commitments.

The meeting was co-chaired by Ambassador Willy Nyamitwe, Chairperson of the AU Permanent Representatives Committee and Burundi’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, and Patricia Llombart Cussac, Managing Director for Africa at the European External Action Service.

Speaking during the meeting, Nyamitwe said the partnership should deliver opportunities for young people, stimulate economic growth and strengthen the collective international voice of Africa and Europe.

He emphasised the importance of translating shared ambitions into shared prosperity, calling for practical outcomes that would benefit citizens across both continents.

Llombart Cussac said the partnership was already delivering tangible results, particularly in trade, where African businesses continue to benefit from preferential access to the European market.

She noted that 97 per cent of African exports enter the EU market duty-free under predictable trade arrangements, providing businesses with greater market access and long-term stability.

The meeting also marked 25 years of the Everything But Arms (EBA) arrangement, which grants eligible developing countries duty-free and quota-free access to the EU market.

On investment, the EU highlighted its foreign direct investment stock in Africa, estimated at approximately €250 billion. According to Llombart Cussac’s opening statement, this is six times China’s investment stock on the continent.

Discussions on economic cooperation focused on expanding trade, strengthening regional integration, supporting implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and developing sustainable value chains.

The two sides also examined investment opportunities under the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package, which targets infrastructure, transport, energy, digital connectivity, healthcare and education.

They further discussed ways to reduce investment risks, mobilise development financing and strengthen regional economic integration.

Beyond economic cooperation, the officials addressed peace and security, migration, mobility and governance, alongside growing geopolitical tensions and challenges facing international cooperation.

Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to international law, the United Nations Charter and effective multilateral institutions.

The discussions also covered United Nations reforms, global digital governance, artificial intelligence, food security and the effects of El Niño.

Llombart Cussac noted that Africa and Europe collectively account for more than 40 per cent of United Nations membership, giving them considerable potential to influence global decisions through coordinated positions.

She called for reforms to make international institutions more representative, particularly by addressing Africa’s underrepresentation in global governance.

The meeting also reaffirmed support for the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Both sides agreed to maintain regular political dialogue and strengthen coordination in international forums.

The next phase of engagement will include a Commission-to-Commission meeting and an AU-EU Ministerial Meeting in 2027, ahead of the next AU-EU Summit scheduled to take place in Brussels, Belgium, in 2028.

The officials concluded by reaffirming their commitment to a partnership based on trust, predictability and practical cooperation to advance sustainable development, peace and prosperity across Africa and Europe.

Greatest threat to Global Gateway neither China nor BRICS. It may be public mistrust. Public acceptance cannot be manufactured