Turning Ambition into Action: Empowering African Youth to Drive a New EU-Africa Partnership

As the European Union and Africa continue to navigate the complexities of their partnership, it has become increasingly clear that the time for lofty ambitions and strategy documents is over. The EU-Africa partnership has reached a critical juncture, where the focus must shift from rhetoric to tangible action. At the heart of this transformation lies the continent’s most valuable resource: its youth. It is imperative that we harness the energy, creativity, and innovative spirit of African young people to drive a new era of cooperation and growth.

The African continent is home to a growing population of over 1.3 billion people, with more than 60% under the age of 25. This demographic dividend presents a unique opportunity for the EU and Africa to collaborate on initiatives that address the continent’s most pressing challenges, from food insecurity and climate change to infrastructure deficits and urbanisation.

By supporting youth-led initiatives in areas such as smart agriculture, renewable energy, and sustainable urban planning, we can unlock the potential for a new era of African growth and development.

A key aspect of this vision is the concept of Circular Mobility, which seeks to transform the way African cities approach transportation. This is not just a matter of environmental sustainability; it is also an economic imperative, as it can create new opportunities for entrepreneurship and job creation. By promoting shared and green transport, localising the value chain, and innovating around the repair, remanufacture, and recycling of components, Africa can create a more sustainable and equitable mobility system. The European Union can play a crucial role in achieving this vision by sharing with African cities, its sustainable transportation expertise and experience, and collaborating on initiatives such as knowledge transfer, capacity building, and joint investments in green infrastructure.

In addition, brain drain remains a significant threat to Africa’s economic development. Every year, thousands of skilled African professionals migrate to developed countries, taking their talents and expertise with them. This is a loss not only for Africa but also for the European Union, which invests heavily in training and education programs only to see the benefits accrue to other regions. 

We must prioritize developing an ecosystem that retains and nurtures African talent rather than training it for export. By doing so, we can ensure that the skills and expertise of these professionals are leveraged to drive innovation and growth on the continent, instead of being lost to other parts of the world. The EU has a critical role to play in catalysing this youth ecosystem by collaborating with African partners to develop initiatives that promote talent retention, entrepreneurship, and economic development. 

Existing initiatives such as Erasmus+ and the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme provide a solid foundation for skills transfer and knowledge circulation. However, these programmes must be strategically linked to local enterprise, with a focus on supporting startups and initiatives that drive circular mobility and sustainable urban solutions.

The AU-EU Youth Action Lab, with its Innovation and Entrepreneurship Grants, is a prime example of the kind of targeted youth-centric funding, required to drive this agenda forward.

To close the loop on the ‘brain-drain’, the EU-Africa partnership must implement policy interventions that create an enabling environment for young people to thrive at home. This includes providing “Innovation Retention” grants to successful African graduates of EU-funded training programmes, conditional on establishing their ventures in Africa. Further enhancement of regulatory frameworks, for example by harmonising tax breaks, or creation of new frameworks is also essential. With the EU and AU working together to fast-track policies that favour local skills retention.

The time for strategy documents and lofty ambitions is over. It is time for the EU and Africa to move beyond aid and elevate their partnership to become an engine of global, sustainable growth. By strategically investing in youth-led initiatives and creating an ecosystem that retains and nurtures African talent, we can make the African Rising chapter a permanent reality. The EU must double down on its commitment to fostering an environment where African skills are developed, nurtured, and retained. The future of the EU-Africa partnership depends on it.

As we move forward, it is crucial that we utilise all available tools and instruments to empower young people through capacity building, a key focus of the Global Gateway strategy.

By leveraging this approach, we can create opportunities for them to drive innovation, entrepreneurship, and growth, and provide the necessary support and resources to ensure their success.

The EU-Africa partnership has the potential to be a game-changer for the continent, but it requires a fundamental shift in approach. We must move beyond the traditional donor-recipient model and towards a more equal, more sustainable, and more mutually beneficial partnership.

In conclusion, the EU-Africa partnership is at a critical juncture. We can choose to continue down the path of rhetoric and strategy documents, or we can take bold action to empower African youth and drive a new era of cooperation and growth. The choice is clear. It is time to turn ambition into action, and to make the African Rising chapter a permanent reality. The future of the EU-Africa partnership depends on it, and by working together, we can create a more equal, sustainable, and mutually beneficial partnership that benefits both continents.