The European Union-African Union Summit: Renewing a Special Partnership [fr]
The upcoming Summit of Heads of State and Government of the European Union and the African Union will be held on Brussels on 17 and 18 February 2022. This important summit for the European Union aims to renew the relationship between the European Union and African Union.
It will provide an opportunity to lay the foundations for enhanced cooperation between the European Union and African Union, by defining a common vision of challenges facing our two continents, and to establish with Africa an ambitious alliance focused on the future, to build an area of solidarity, security, lasting prosperity and stability.
A relationship renewed around the triptych of prosperity, security and mobility
The European countries will present tangible projects around the triptych of prosperity, security and mobility. The European Union Member States and institutions crafted these projects in close collaboration with African countries to address African expectations regarding investment, infrastructure, health, mobility, security and education.
This first means defining an economic and financial New Deal, and supporting Africa in its post-pandemic recovery policies, building on the Summit on the Financing of African Economies of 18 May 2021 and the G20’s work in Rome, with a special focus on training and jobs for young people.
Regarding public health, Europe was a pioneer in proposing the ACT-A mechanism to the G20. Close to 450 million doses have already been provided via COVAX. Europeans have shared a total of 145 million of their vaccine doses and the goal is to triple that figure by mid-2022. In addition to the donation of doses, the European Union has committed alongside African actors to step up the deployment of these vaccines, and has contributed to the transfer of technology and the development of vaccine manufacturing on the African continent (MAV+ initiative). It will continue these efforts to achieve African health resilience and to strengthen African public health systems.
Regarding investment, in line with African requests, Europe will significantly increase its investment in infrastructure, including in the area of transport, energy transition, digital transformation, and the development of food production within the framework of the Great Green Wall.
Regarding peace and security, the aim is to support African efforts to combat terrorism and support African action to foster security on the continent, through African peacekeeping operations and capacity building.
Lastly, regarding mobility and migration, the aim is to promote mobility and legal migration as well as to fight irregular migration, particularly though efforts to fight trafficking and to strengthen return and readmission mechanisms.
Concrete exchanges
To achieve the goal of a renewed European-African relationship, the Summit will be organized around seven thematic roundtables bringing together the Heads of State and Government. The Heads of State and Government who co-chair the roundtables will provide a summary of their discussions in the plenary session.
Practical discussions will be held on such essential topics as finance for growth, health systems, vaccine production, the energy transition and infrastructure projects, agriculture and sustainable development, education, mobility and migration, support for the private sector and economic integration, and peace and security.
European institutions will be represented by the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
Leaders of international institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Health Organization will also attend.