On 24–25 November 2025, leaders from the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) will meet in Angola for their first summit in three years. The last took place just after the COVID-19 pandemic and days before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
These shocks continue to reverberate across African economies—and have been felt through declining aid flows, growing trade tensions with key partners, and mounting debt challenges across much of the continent. But responses have varied, and a unified African position has yet to emerge.
Europe, meanwhile, has seen sluggish economic growth, rising concern over its competitiveness, declining global influence, a populist surge, and is absorbed by defence and security concerns. Initiatives like the Global Gateway reflect Europe’s efforts to secure access to critical minerals and markets for its industries in Africa, competing with other key actors on the global stage. However, despite rhetoric around “equal partnerships,” Africa ranks low on the list of priorities for many EU leaders.
This EU–AU summit presents a key opportunity for leaders on both continents to advance a partnership that is truly mutual, reflecting the shared interests and complementary strengths of both blocs.
But what exactly should leaders ask for and propose? In this blog series, CGD authors present ideas across a wide range of policy areas and set out concrete proposals for action.
