Have the article read by OpenAI (Beta). Please note that AI translations may take some time to process.Luanda (dpa) – Europe and Africa “need each other more than ever before” in a global economy that is becoming “more confrontational,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday. Speaking at the European Union-African Union summit in the Angolan capital of Luanda, von der Leyen said the two continents must deepen economic cooperation in an era of trade barriers, global overcapacity and export restrictions.
Von der Leyen considered the potential for the expansion of existing trade relations, even though a third of African exports already go to Europe. She also pointed to the EU’s Global Gateway agenda, which she called “more than an infrastructure development programme,” highlighting the example of the Lobito Corridor in southern Africa.
At the last EU-African Union summit three years ago, a goal was agreed to invest a total of 150 billion Euro in Africa by 2027, von der Leyen said. More than 120 billion Euro has already been mobilized, she pointed out, arguing that “at a time when other major investors are rethinking their global engagement, Europe’s commitment to Africa is here to stay. […] The case for Africa and Europe to join forces is overwhelming.”
Leaders from the two blocs are convening in Luanda amid a whirlwind of international diplomacy in southern Africa on the heels of a G20 summit in Johannesburg, the first such meeting on African soil. The talks have arguably been overshadowed by frantic discussions on the controversial US peace plan for Ukraine, with EU leaders including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz holding a meeting on the proposal in Luanda on Monday.
On the first day of the summit, officials were set to cover a range of issues, including peace, security and multilateral cooperation, migration, mobility and prosperity, before a joint declaration is released on Tuesday.
The EU currently deploys 12 civilian and military missions and operations on the continent, including in Libya, Mali, Somalia and the Central African Republic, most of which are aimed at supporting counterterrorism efforts, increasing stability and conflict prevention. But both sides are also looking to further increase cooperation across other areas, 25 years since the first EU-AU summit was held in Cairo in 2000. (24 november)
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