AU-EU Partnership: 25 years delivering

2025 is a symbolic year as we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the AU-EU unique and enduring partnership (#AUEU25) since the first Africa-Europe Summit that was held in Cairo on April 2000. We built the institutional and operational frameworks to implement a vision, based on a critical mass of common values, principles and interests we share. Working together in a spirit of equality, respect and cooperation. Our relations are deeper and more political significant, involving all organs of both Unions, aligned with the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the EU’s political priorities. 

In the lead-up to the 7th AU-EU Summit scheduled to 24-25 November in Luanda, Angola, the new leadership of both AU and EU and around 80 governments at Ministerial level met on 21 May 2025, in Brussels. They took stock of the implementation of the Joint Vision for 2030 agreed by the African and European leaders at their last Summit in 2022, ensuring a strategic alignment around four central pillars: Prosperity, Peace and Security, People, and Planet – multilateralism. This is a fundamental platform to get tangible results for African and European citizens: a main objective of my own team at the EU Delegation to the African Union. 

The EU stands by the desire shown by most of the African population to live in a democratic and fair society. We believe in this societal model. Besides, the EU is the largest partner of Africa in practically all fields and is, by far, Africa’s largest trading and investment partner, accounting for about 33% of Africa’s total trade.

We invest in Africa many times more than other major actors together and we work, both at continental and national levels, across sectors. We are here to stay, for long term shared interests, not only for transactional short-time actions. We create solutions together with African partners. 

As a main financing pillar, the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package mobilises investments to drive long-term prosperity, to foster regional economic integration, future-oriented infrastructure, and competitiveness of our economies. In concrete, it includes 138 flagships and Team Europe Initiatives that are delivering positive results and transformational impact. 

The EU has also been an active and main partner for peace in the African continent, namely of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and Africa-owned security initiatives. In this endeavour, we substantially support African leadership, entities and countries via the EU Peace Facility. The majority of the EU civilian and military training and security missions are based in Africa, for example in Horn of Africa/ Somalia, Red Sea, Central Africa, Libya, Sahel/Gulf of Guinea and Mozambique. We believe long lasting peace and security comes with democratic principles, rule of law, economic opportunities, the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights, good governance, gender equality and justice. 

A major concern for both continents is migration and mobility, which can be a catalyst for economic, social and human development. EU-African partnership initiatives cover all aspects of migration by strengthening migration governance and management, fostering cooperation on return, readmission and sustainable reintegration, fighting migrant smuggling and trafficking of human beings.

A particular focus is on addressing the root causes of irregular migration – climate change, conflicts and lack of opportunities – and on enhancing existing legal pathways for migration and mobility. 

We place human development at the heart of the AU-EU partnership, such as empowering youth and women through education, skills development, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. Examples are the Spotlight Initiative Africa Regional Programme, the Regional Teachers Initiative for Africa, the AU-EU Youth Lab, the Youth Mobility for Africa, the Africa-Europe Youth Academy, under the Youth Action Plan in EU external relations, the expanded Erasmus+ program, cultural exchanges such as Maisha, and the AU-EU Innovation Agenda. 

Finally, it is important to highlight the importance of multilateralism. No country, big or small, can meet today’s challenges alone. As the geopolitical context evolves, the EU will continue to be a forward-looking defender of multilateralism, with the UN charter at the core. And we find in the AU a partner in this journey. We are a strong supporter of Africa’s legitimate place and voice at the global arena, namely to become a full member of the G20.

As EU High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas remarked on her statement for the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace in April: we need to learn from history that isolationism and unilateralism led to painful results and instability. We defend that respect and dialogue should prevail over war; rule of law over force. Our commitment to multilateralism is not just a matter of principle—it is a matter of global necessity.

The AU-EU Summit in November is a key moment to reaffirm our unwavering collaboration to keep delivering in light of the current and forthcoming challenges. To continue building future-proof and blissful societies in both continents. Our 25th anniversary is a silver hook to explain how the AU-EU Partnership matters to them. Be it as peace in one country contributes to regional stability, as investment in renewables allows them to have secure and cheaper energy, as strengthening democracy leads to freedom and fair distribution of resources, as it delivers education and work opportunities, access to quality medicine or to a health facility, and to economic growth brought by trade. During this year, we are going to give voice to different people, as we gave to Theresa and Roberta to explain how the Partnership puts Youth at its core  and to a group of diverse participants at the ACS2 on why climate action should continue to be a priority of our working together with Africa.

More examples will come at our website, Facebook and X that can be followed with the #AUEU25.

H.E. Ambassador Javier Niño Pérez has been serving as the Head of the EU Delegation to the African Union since January 2024. A Spanish national, he has held various positions within the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Commission, including Director/Deputy Managing Director Americas, Head of Division US and Canada, and Head of Division Turkey. He has served as the EU Ambassador / Head of Delegation in Haiti and Cuba and has held various positions within the Political and Economic Sections of European Commission Delegations in Trinidad & Tobago and Burkina Faso. He holds a Master of Arts in Advanced Political Studies from the College of Europe in Bruges, an LL.M. in European Law from the Free University of Brussels, and a degree in Law from the University of Valladolid. He is fluent in Spanish, English, and French.

Background information:

AU-EU Partnership celebrates 25 years: Two Unions, a joint vision

The African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) launched a year-long celebration marking the 25th anniversary of their unique and enduring partnership, since the first Africa-Europe Summit on 3-4 April 2000 in Cairo. Together, the EU and the AU represent and carry the voices, hopes and dreams of more than 1.9 billion people. Collaboration is rooted in shared values, common interests and a commitment to multilateralism. Both are driving sustainable and people-centred progress, implementing the Joint Vision for 2030 aligned with the Africa Agenda 2063 and the EU’s political priorities. In the lead-up to the 7th AU-EU Summit scheduled to 24-25 November in Luanda, Angola, the new leadership of both AU and EU and around 80 governments at Ministerial level met in Brussels on May 21st.

Recall key moments over the 25 years of cooperation in this looking back exercise, and understand how youth policies and initiatives are key in the AU-EU partnership. More information will be shared along the year: follow with the #AUEU25 on both Unions’ digital platforms.

Global Gateway 

The Global Gateway Africa – Europe Investment Package aims to support Africa for a strong, inclusive, green and digital transformation with EUR 150 billion worth of investments. The Global Gateway is a European investment strategy to boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport sectors, and to strengthen health, education and research. Through Global Gateway, the EU is strengthening connections between Europe and partner countries. A joint report taking stock of progress in the implementation of the 6th EU-AU Summit commitments on sustainable prosperity is available here, a factsheet with Global Gateway flagship projects in Africa here and other concrete projects here. Follow here the Global Gateway Forum (October 9-10 2025).

More information:

European Union Delegation to the African Union website, Facebook and X

EEAS Press Material and YouTube channel