What changed

B100470/2025

P10_TA(2025)0253

European Parliament resolution on renewingRenewing the EU-Africa Partnership: building common priorities ahead of the Angola Summit

(2025/2933(RSP))

PE778.791

having regard to the European Union’s Global Gateway strategy and the European Union–African Union (EU-AU)) strategic partnership,

European Parliament resolution of 23 October 2025 on renewing the EU-Africa partnership: building common priorities ahead of the Angola Summit (2025/2933(RSP))

– having regard to the Partnership Agreement between the European Union and its Member States, of the oneRule part,136(2) and the members of the Organisation(4) of African, Caribbean and Pacificits States,Rules of the other part,Procedure,

– having regard to Rule 136(2) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas Africa and Europe are neighbouring continents whose futures are closely interlinked; whereas the EU should aim to be Africa’s leading partner in trade, investment, development aid, humanitarian assistance, peace and security, energy and the digital transformation; whereas African countries together constitute the EU’s fourth-largest trading partner, while the EU Member States collectively represent Africa’s largest export market; whereas both continents face common and interconnected challenges in an increasingly complex geopolitical reality;

A. whereas the European Union (EU)-African Union Summit will take place in Luanda, Angola, on 24-25 November 2025, marking the 25th anniversary of the launch of the EU-AU strategic partnership at the Cairo Summit in 2000, and is expected to serve as a key milestone in redefining priorities, strengthening mutual commitments and responding to evolving global challenges affecting both continents;

B. whereas Africa is an indispensable partner in addressing global challenges – from ensuring sustainable access to critical raw materials to advancing the green and digital transitions, strengthening global food security, supporting a dynamic labour market, preventing conflict and building peace; whereas democracy, human rights and the rule of law are core values of both the EU and the African Union (AU), and women and young people are key agents of change for Africa’s democratic and economic future; whereas increasing EU-Africa cooperation can unlock shared opportunities for innovation, industrial development, job creation, human development, the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and long-term prosperity on both continents;

B. whereas Africa holds an essential geopolitical position and is home to a significant share of the world’s critical raw materials, including cobalt, lithium, rare earths and copper, which are indispensable for new technologies; whereas Africa is increasingly becoming a theatre of great power competition, notably through the growing presence of China and Russia, and the EU needs to reassess its role in this context;

C. whereas the Samoa Agreement provides a renewed and modernised foundation for relations between the EU and the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of states, aiming to strengthen their capacity to address these global challenges together and to move decisively towards a partnership of equals grounded in mutual respect and shared interests;

C. whereas the EU is Africa’s leading partner in trade, investment, development initiatives and humanitarian aid, and has earmarked over EUR 150 billion under the Global Gateway initiative for African infrastructure until 2027, to support connectivity, the green transition, health and education, and research projects;

D. whereas the African Charter on democracy, elections and governance emphasises the importance of free and fair elections as well as the rights of political parties and the opposition; whereas despite progress over the past decades, recent developments show a worrying trend of democratic backsliding;

D. whereas the EU and its Member States collectively remain the largest provider of official development assistance to Africa, contributing EUR 163 billion from 2011 to 2023, representing nearly 45 % of total official development assistance to the continent, through both bilateral assistance and instruments such as the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument, and its predecessors, as well as through the European Peace Facility, and the Global Gateway framework;

E. whereas the AU’s Agenda 2063: ‘The Africa We Want’ represents Africa’s own long-term blueprint for inclusive growth, regional integration, gender equality and sustainable development; whereas Africa’s growing global engagement reflects its increasing political and economic influence; whereas this underlines the importance of a principled, transparent and mutually beneficial partnership that supports both African and European priorities and promotes long-term stability and prosperity;

E. whereas illegal migration flows from and through Africa remain a major concern for the EU, with significant human, political and security implications; whereas cooperation on the return and readmission of illegal migrants, and prevention of illegal migration, remains limited with many of the countries of origin and transit, despite extensive EU support;

F. whereas peace, security and good governance are prerequisites for prosperity, yet several African regions – particularly those in fragile settings – continue to face instability, terrorism, unconstitutional changes of government and humanitarian crises; whereas external actors have expanded their footprint in Africa, in particular China and Russia, often through opaque or coercive means, including disinformation and malign influence campaigns;

F. whereas research suggests that development aid provided under the current policy framework does not sufficiently reduce migration and may, in fact, increase it in the short-to-medium term; whereas the same studies have concluded that migration cannot be addressed solely through development aid, given that the ‘root causes’ cannot be universally defined; whereas there is also an increasing need to focus on border protection;

G. whereas the EU remains the largest development and humanitarian aid donor in Africa; whereas the global humanitarian system is facing an unprecedented funding crisis, with only 43 % of the UN’s USD 50 billion humanitarian aid appeal being met; whereas this situation has been exacerbated by continuous reductions in foreign aid budgets by multiple key donors;

G. whereas the African continent is expected to experience the most significant demographic growth globally, with its population projected to reach nearly 2.5 billion by 2050; whereas Africa’s rapid population growth will fuel illegal immigration to the EU;

H. whereas Africa’s population exceeded 1,5 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach 2,5 billion by 2050, with the large majority of people being under 30 years of age; whereas this demographic dynamism presents both opportunities and challenges, requiring massive investment in education, employment, healthcare and infrastructure; whereas inequality remains one of the main barriers to achieving the SDGs;

H. whereas the Sahel region faces increasing instability, characterised by military coups, terrorism, cross-border trafficking and weakening state institutions;

I. whereas Africa possesses vast potential for renewable energy, innovation and sustainable development; whereas, despite contributing minimally to global emissions, the continent is actively pursuing climate resilience and green growth; whereas joint EU-AU leadership can accelerate a just, inclusive and sustainable transition;

I. whereas the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains mired in conflict, with the M23 rebel group and other armed actors accused of grave human rights violations and destabilisation, and of receiving external support, notably from Rwanda;

J. whereas the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a transformative project for Africa’s integration and economic sovereignty, yet Africa’s participation in global trade and investment remains limited; whereas EU support should focus on capacity building for customs harmonisation and private-sector readiness so as to maximise the benefits of the AfCFTA;

J. whereas Islamist terrorist groups, such as Boko Haram, Islamic State in West Africa Province and Fulani, as well as other affiliates of al-Qaeda and Daesh, have intensified their activities across several African regions, notably in the Sahel, Nigeria, northern Mozambique and parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo;

K. whereas migration and mobility between Africa and Europe are long-standing realities that generate major challenges for both continents and that can only offer opportunities if properly and responsibly addressed; whereas the EU and Africa have a shared interest in establishing long-term and mutually beneficial partnerships that contribute to economic development and stability in Africa while addressing Europe’s concerns regarding irregular migration, security, border management and the fight against terrorism; whereas such partnerships, whether focused exclusively on migration or broader in scope with migration at their core, must include clear responsibilities and commitments, step up cooperation on preventing irregular migration, dismantling smuggling networks, improving returns and reinforcing border management, and address the root causes of irregular migration in countries of origin and transit;

K. whereas the growing Islamist insurgency and terrorism in Africa has led to a resurgence in massacres, kidnappings, forced displacements and widespread insecurity;

L. whereas 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the formal Africa-EU partnership, providing a historic opportunity to renew and elevate relations, putting the partners on an equal footing for the next generation;

L. whereas Christians remain the most persecuted religious community in the world, with massacres of Christians increasing; whereas one-in-five Christians in Africa are being persecuted;

M. whereas the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the AU’s Agenda 2063 provide a shared compass for the partnership and should guide programming under the current Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) – Global Europe and the Global Gateway strategy, with a focus on transparency, inclusive participation and measurable results;

1. Notes that the holding of the EU-African Union Summit is a vital opportunity to redefine and rebalance the EU-AU strategic partnership based on mutual respect, sovereignty and shared interests;

N. whereas all forms of development cooperation should be founded on the principles of aid effectiveness; whereas the implementation of the Samoa Agreement and the Global Gateway must align with the AU’s Agenda 2063 and uphold the principles of equality, mutual accountability and African ownership across all strands of cooperation;

2. Emphasises that this partnership must move beyond donor-recipient dynamics and reflect common strategic interests in security, peace, prosperity and migration control;

O. whereas Africa’s ongoing sovereign debt crisis has intensified over the past decade; whereas, in a climate of geopolitical turmoil and rising interest rates, Africa’s public debt ratio doubled between 2010 and 2022, rising from 32,7 % to 65 %;

3. Calls for a particular focus on the Sahel region during the summit; recalls that the increasing destabilisation of the Sahel region poses a significant threat to Europe, particularly in terms of illegal migration and terrorism; notes that the involvement of foreign mercenary companies has further exacerbated the security collapse in the region;

P. whereas the EU has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to the promotion and protection of religious freedom globally, and has taken steps to combat religious persecution and intolerance in various parts of the world;

4. Calls for an urgent audit of EU development funding and reiterates its call to cease the funding of ideological projects, such as the provision of blenders for food preparation in schools in Africa that do not have electricity; recalls that aid must reach the intended recipients and not be used to fuel corruption;

Q. whereas Parliament has consistently called for the strengthening of international efforts to combat religious persecution and to hold accountable those responsible for attacks on minority communities;

5. Welcomes regional initiatives promoting domestic resource mobilisation, notably in financing for education and job creation, and stresses the need to encourage similar initiatives;

New strategic partnership of equals

6. Stresses that all available tools must be used to put pressure on non-EU countries to take back their citizens who have been staying illegally or who have committed criminal acts in the EU; notes that such tools could include the use of conditionalities for development aid, trade and visa-free travel;

1. Calls for a renewed and forward-looking EU-Africa partnership built on mutual respect, shared interests and the understanding that both continents need each other and are stronger together; notes that in a time of shifting geopolitical dynamics and growing global insecurity, including rising extremism and cuts in development and humanitarian spending, closer cooperation between the EU and Africa is more essential than ever; underlines that genuine partnership based on joint multilateral action is the most effective way to eradicate poverty and promote peace, prosperity, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, sustainable trade and human development; reaffirms that the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda and the SDGs must serve as the common compass of the renewed EU-Africa partnership;

7. Stresses furthermore that the EU’s development cooperation must be conditional on good governance and effective cooperation on migration and border control, including the application of return and readmission agreements;

2. Calls for the EU to step up its concrete actions and strategic communication and visibility across Africa, clearly demonstrating the tangible benefits of the EU-AU partnership, which is grounded in mutual respect, transparency and sustainability; stresses the importance of transparent, values-based engagement, in contrast with the influence of external powers, including China and Russia, whose opaque financial, security and disinformation activities risk undermining sovereignty, stability and democratic governance in Africa; stresses that the EU must ‘show its flag’ more effectively through coherent diplomacy, visible investment and closer coordination between the Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS), Parliament and the Member States to project a united European voice;

8. Urges the Commission and the Member States to conclude binding migration partnership agreements with African countries, focused on both the reduction of illegal migration and on facilitating the return of illegal migrants; stresses that there is no need for additional legal pathways for migration to the EU;

3. Underlines the importance of institutionalising the parliamentary dimension of future EU-AU summits as an integral component of their framework, in order to ensure citizen representation, public oversight and a democratic contribution to the deliberations and outcomes of the partnership; supports efforts to revitalise joint parliamentary dialogue between the European Parliament and the Pan-African Parliament as a forum for democratic dialogue and oversight; encourages regular thematic meetings between parliamentary committees from both continents to ensure accountability within the partnership;

9. Highlights the strategic importance of African raw materials for European supply chains; calls for fair, transparent and sustainable resource partnerships;

4. Calls on the 22 EU Member States and the 66 African partners who have not yet ratified the Samoa Agreement to do so without delay, to move it from provisional application to full entry into force;

10. Notes that Global Gateway is burdened by bureaucracy and social and environmental standards, which make it impossible for European companies to compete with Chinese companies’ growing influence in the region;

5. Urges the Commission to conduct, without exception, thorough impact assessments and stakeholder consultations, including with African counterparts directly impacted by EU legislation, and to base its proposals on the full evidence available; commits to consult African counterparts on upcoming EU legislation;

11. Condemns the ongoing violence and external interference in the Democratic Republic of the Congo; welcomes the peace agreement signed on 27 June 2025, in Washington, under US mediation, by Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo aimed at de-escalating tensions and ending Rwandan support of armed groups in eastern Congo; stresses, however, that this agreement will only be meaningful if followed by concrete, transparent and verifiable steps, including the immediate cessation of cross-border interference, the protection of civilians, and the full re-establishment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s territorial control;

Peace, security and good governance

12. Recalls that Christians are the most persecuted religious community in the world; calls on the Nigerian Government to ensure that the Christian community is safe from violence and persecution;

6. Reaffirms that sustainable peace is a prerequisite for development and prosperity; supports African-led peace efforts under the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) and commends EU support through the European Peace Facility; calls for predictable funding for AU-mandated operations, including through UN-assessed contributions; stresses that cooperation must respect international law, protect civilians and promote governance reform; expresses deep concern about the spread of conflicts, jihadist terrorism, military coups and state collapses, democratic backsliding and violent extremism in several parts of Africa; calls for a comprehensive approach that combines defence, peacebuilding, security measures, prevention, deradicalisation and socio-economic development;

13. Underlines that churches are vital providers of essential social services in Africa; calls on the Commission to involve these partners in the implementation of EU programmes; calls on the Commission and the European External Action Service in this context to promote dialogue with churches in partner countries;

7. Expresses profound concern about the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation across the Sahel region, in particular Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, where large areas remain under the control of armed groups and civilians face widespread displacement and food insecurity; stresses that the crisis is spilling over into West Africa’s coastal democracies and generating dangerous power vacuums following the withdrawal of international missions; condemns Russia’s destabilising strategy in the region, including its decision to absorb the Wagner Group into the government-controlled Africa Corps, its disinformation operations and its predatory resource acquisition practices; notes that reliance on such support by military juntas has failed to stabilise the situation and has enabled terrorist groups to regain ground; regrets that the EU Training Mission in Mali, the EU Military Partnership Mission in Niger and the EU Capacity Building Mission in Niger and other international deployments have not delivered lasting peace; calls for an evidence-based, in-depth assessment of mandates, roles and policies and for a profoundly revised, integrated EU common security and defence policy strategy for the Sahel region that is coherent with development policy and supported by the European Peace Facility; prioritises humanitarian access and the protection of civilians and conditions EU security assistance on full respect for international humanitarian and human rights law; calls for coordinated, principled EU-AU action grounded in democracy, human rights and the rule of law, including measures to counter foreign information manipulation and interference, disrupt illicit resource economies and criminal activities that finance armed groups, and invest in governance, service delivery and local economic opportunities to address structural drivers of instability;

14. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the European Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the African Union, the governments of all European Union and African Union Member States and the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

8. Expresses deep concern about the ongoing violence, political instability and humanitarian crises in several parts of Africa; recalls in particular the devastating conflict in Sudan, where fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces has resulted in mass civilian casualties, displacement and widespread human rights violations; strongly condemns all atrocities, including the deliberate targeting of civilians and the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war, and calls for full accountability and unhindered humanitarian access; welcomes regional and UN-led diplomatic efforts and encourages the EU to intensify coordination with the AU and neighbouring states to support ceasefire negotiations and inclusive peacebuilding; notes, with concern, the persistent fragility and lack of national reconciliation in Libya, whose instability continues to affect both African and European security; urges renewed EU engagement, in close cooperation with the UN, to promote a unified political process, transparent elections and the withdrawal of foreign mercenaries; welcomes the contribution of the EU Military Assistance Mission Mozambique to restoring security in Cabo Delgado, while stressing the need to embed human rights, community resilience and principles of good governance to ensure lasting stability and local trust; underlines the role of the EU Capacity Building Mission in Somalia in reinforcing the capacities of the Somali police, as well as maritime security and the rule of law; calls for closer coordination with international partners and for the integration of the mission’s work within broader EU efforts to strengthen governance, justice and counterterrorism resilience in the Horn of Africa; remains alarmed by the situation in Ethiopia, including in the Tigray region, where serious human rights abuses have been reported; calls on the Ethiopian authorities to guarantee unrestricted humanitarian access, pursue genuine national dialogue and uphold the rule of law and fundamental freedoms; underlines that all EU engagement in conflict-affected and transitional contexts must promote democracy, accountability and African ownership, ensuring coordination with the AU and regional initiatives to foster reconciliation, stability and sustainable development across the continent;

9. Calls for the EU to step up its efforts to promote peace, security and stability across the African continent; calls for predictable, long-term financing of AU-mandated peace operations, including through UN-assessed contributions in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2719 (2023); stresses the need for permanent African representation on the UN Security Council; supports African-led peace operations and mediation efforts under the APSA;

10. Calls on the Council and the Commission to strengthen EU-Africa security and defence cooperation, including by establishing effective joint capacity to counter terrorism, violent extremism and external interference, particularly in fragile states; underlines that such cooperation must complement and reinforce African-led efforts under the APSA and fully respect international law, democratic oversight and the principles of a partnership of equals; emphasises that counterterrorism operations must fully respect international humanitarian and human rights law; supports EU programmes for community resilience, women’s and youth engagement and post-conflict reconstruction; urges both the EU and the AU to implement the UN Women, Peace and Security agenda and the UN Youth, Peace and Security agenda, ensuring equal participation in decision-making;

11. Welcomes the recent peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but remains deeply concerned by continuing violence and insecurity in eastern DRC, particularly in North Kivu and Ituri; calls for the EU to play an active and coordinated role in supporting the implementation of the peace process, focusing on enhancing inclusivity and women’s participation, humanitarian access and protection of civilians; stresses that in order to achieve lasting stability, the economic dimensions of the conflict must be addressed, including the illegal exploitation of natural resources and raw materials, and justice for victims of war crimes, including conflict-related sexual violence, must be ensured; urges the Commission and the Council to immediately suspend the EU-Rwanda Memorandum of Understanding on sustainable raw materials value chains until Rwanda proves that it is ceasing its interference in and its exportation of minerals mined from areas controlled by the paramilitary group M23; calls on all actors to increase transparency and to effectively ban the entry of all blood minerals into the EU; calls for the EU to promote responsible sourcing, transparency in supply chains and investment in value addition in the DRC and the Great Lakes region;

12. Underlines the vital importance of democracy and free and fair elections, as they are the only way to ensure true accountability and true representation of the people’s interests and priorities; calls for enhanced cooperation on electoral observation and democracy-building, in partnership with the AU and regional organisations; calls for dedicated funding for local women mediators and peacebuilders, young peacebuilders and civil society organisations; reaffirms the essential role of women and young people in peacebuilding and governance;

13. Recalls that Christians are the most persecuted religious community in the world; notes with particular concern the situation of Christians in the Sahel region;

14. Underlines that churches are vital providers of essential social services in Africa; calls on the Commission to involve these partners in the implementation of EU programmes; calls on the Commission and the EEAS in this context to promote dialogue with churches in partner countries;

15. Is concerned about China’s growing political influence in Africa and the expansion of its global initiatives, including the Belt and Road Initiative; notes that while these projects have mobilised significant investment, they often lack transparency and can create economic dependencies; calls for the EU to step up its efforts to offer a sustainable, values-based and transparent alternative grounded in local ownership, fair competition and mutual benefit; calls for the EU to enhance its strategic communication and visibility, promote joint AU-EU projects in infrastructure, digitalisation and innovation, and support independent media and education initiatives to demonstrate the long-term advantages of the joint EU-AU model of partnership; recognises the strategic importance of critical raw materials for both Africa and Europe and stresses that cooperation in this field must be founded on mutual benefit, transparency and sustainability; calls for Europe’s resilience to be strengthened by diversifying away from excessive dependencies through partnerships that promote responsible mining, local value addition and skills development; underlines that initiatives under the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package should foster resilient, fair and environmentally responsible supply chains, ensuring that resource cooperation contributes to sustainable and inclusive growth and economic diversification in African countries;

Sustainable development and growth, trade and infrastructure

16. Supports the full implementation of the AfCFTA as a driver of continental integration and calls for the EU to provide technical and financial assistance for its institutions, customs harmonisation and private-sector readiness;

17. Underlines the central role of the NDICI – Global Europe as the EU’s main external financing framework for supporting cooperation with Africa; stresses that the effective use of NDICI – Global Europe and its successor instrument is essential to ensure coherence between policy priorities, Global Gateway investments and Team Europe initiatives, as well as to guarantee transparency, accountability and measurable results in EU development action, and to fulfil EU treaty obligations, including promoting poverty eradication, sustainable development, human rights, international cooperation and gender equality;

18. Calls on the Member States to undertake a thorough assessment of shortcomings in their previous approaches to development cooperation with and external assistance for Africa, and to revise and readjust their Africa strategies with a view to fostering sustainable prosperity on the continent and achieving genuinely mutually beneficial partnerships; stresses the importance of ensuring policy coherence for development (PCD) across all EU external policies, taking into account trade, migration, climate and security concerns; highlights the importance of Parliament’s PCD Network in achieving better alignment of the EU’s external policies; underlines that official development assistance (ODA) remains indispensable in least-developed countries, low-income countries and fragile states; calls on the Member States to sustain and step up progress towards the long-standing UN target of allocating 0,7 % of gross national income to ODA and to increase the share directed to least-developed countries, in line with EU and international commitments; encourages the exploration of innovative and legally sound financing tools, including voluntary reallocation of the International Monetary Fund’s special drawing rights where feasible, and the use of structured and transparent debt-for-climate or debt-for-development swaps to strengthen funding for climate adaptation and resilience; calls on the Commission and the Member States to take into account the interests of the outermost regions when signing agreements with African countries;

19. Expresses deep concern about the mounting debt burden facing many African countries; calls for the EU and other relevant partners to support comprehensive debt restructuring and reform of the global financial architecture to ensure fairer terms and transparency;

20. Recognises efforts to make EU external action more coherent through the Global Europe instrument and the Global Gateway strategy, while stressing that flexibility must be matched by predictability, accountability, transparency and parliamentary oversight; calls on the Commission, the EEAS, the Council and the Member States to ensure that the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package delivers tangible results by aligning projects with African priorities, preventing unsustainable debt, supporting poverty eradication and promoting human development in line with the SDGs and treaty obligations; recognises that large-scale investment initiatives alone cannot address the complex realities of fragile and conflict-affected settings, nor the vulnerabilities of least-developed and heavily indebted countries; calls therefore for a dedicated EU strategy for engagement in fragile contexts under the future Global Europe instrument, integrating political dialogue, peacebuilding, humanitarian aid and development action, while stressing the need for ring-fenced humanitarian aid in the next multiannual financial framework; underlines the need to improve the visibility and coordination of EU-funded projects through stronger EU delegations and genuine partnerships with African stakeholders;

21. Notes, with grave concern, the widespread evidence of illegal mining and mineral smuggling, and the resulting impact on the stability and development of resource-rich regions; recalls the links between mining and human rights violations, environmental degradation, land grabbing and violent conflicts;

22. Calls for the creation of a dedicated EU-Africa industrialisation pact under the joint auspices of the AU, the EU and regional development banks, to mobilise public and private capital, which would ensure that Africa is not just a source of raw materials, but a hub for processing, manufacturing and innovation; stresses that this initiative would be a tangible expression of a partnership of equals, fostering long-term growth and sustainable value chains on both continents; voices its concerns about the withdrawal of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the scaling down of its programmes, which has created significant financing gaps in essential services; calls on the Commission and the Member States to realign NDICI – Global Europe and Team Europe programming with the officially agreed objectives and minimum spending targets for sub-Saharan Africa and thematic programmes, and to use these instruments to swiftly bridge financing gaps where appropriate, prioritising poverty eradication, health, gender equality, education, food security and climate adaptation in the most vulnerable African countries; emphasises that the needs-based nature of humanitarian aid requires ring-fenced funding, distinct from other external action financing; highlights the importance of close dialogue between the United States, the EU and the AU on an equal footing in order to realise the joint objectives of fostering democracy, development and prosperity in Africa and a review of the policy on ‘peace for resources’;

Investing in women, young people, human development and mobility

23. Stresses that African young people must be at the heart of a renewed EU-Africa partnership; stresses that the EU-AU partnership serves as an opportunity for African governments to provide possibilities, including job creation, for their citizens, and that the EU can assist and support such African-driven efforts; underlines that bringing young people from both continents closer together, through greater mutual understanding and stronger bonds, is essential for a lasting and equal partnership; calls for the strengthening of student and research exchange programmes; supports the increased participation of European students in exchange programmes with African universities; calls, moreover, for increased support for African universities, vocational institutes and youth-led initiatives to strengthen skills, innovation and exchange;

24. Calls for a dedicated Africa-EU youth innovation fund to finance start-ups and community projects led by young entrepreneurs;

25. Recognises that migration is a shared reality that generates major challenges for both continents and that can only offer opportunities if properly and responsibly addressed; calls for the EU and its Member States to continue developing and implementing strategic and tailor-made partnerships with African countries, whether dedicated to migration or broader in scope with migration at their core, built on shared interests and measurable commitments in the fields of border management, return and readmission, and the fight against illegal migration, migrant smuggling, trafficking in human beings and terrorism; calls in particular for strengthened cooperation with countries of origin and transit to prevent irregular migration, dismantle smuggling networks and improve returns, as well as to deepen security and counterterrorism cooperation; underlines that such cooperation must contribute to long-term stability and mutually beneficial outcomes for both continents;

26. Calls for the EU and the AU to uphold and promote women’s rights and gender equality, ensure access to education and the fulfilment of sexual and reproductive health and rights, promote women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in decision-making and on the labour market and combat gender-based violence and harmful practices; reiterates that gender equality and women’s empowerment are prerequisites for inclusive growth and sustainable development; calls for the EU to ensure dedicated funding for gender equality programmes in line with its Gender Action Plan III; calls for ambitious funding targets to advance SDG 5 on gender equality and empower women-led responses;

27. Highlights the importance of combating violations of women’s rights in Africa, especially female genital mutilation;

28. Emphasises that health security is a shared global challenge and expresses concern that significant budget cuts in the sector threaten to undo decades of progress in global health, putting millions of lives at risk; welcomes EU support for the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, for vaccine manufacturing hubs and for the African Medicines Agency; stresses the EU’s vital role in funding life-saving health programmes, including HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment, and sexual and reproductive health programmes; calls for continued cooperation on pandemic preparedness, local pharmaceutical production and universal health coverage;

Climate, the environment and multilateral cooperation

29. Calls for joint progress on the African single electricity market, cross-border interconnections and sustainable urbanisation; calls for the EU to provide its fair share of climate finance for African climate adaptation and mitigation, supporting initiatives such as the Great Green Wall and NaturAfrica that combine environmental protection with jobs and rural development; recognises climate change as a shared challenge and an opportunity for Africa-EU cooperation; welcomes the Africa-Europe Green Energy Initiative to deliver 50 GW of renewable capacity and electricity access for 100 million people by 2030;

30. Calls for stronger AU-EU action and joint advocacy at Conference of the Parties meetings to secure fair climate finance, technology transfer and funding for the loss and damage fund; stresses that all major greenhouse gas emitters, including G20 members, must lead on implementing the Paris Agreement; welcomes Africa’s permanent G20 membership and supports greater African representation in global governance; proposes that the AU and the EU establish an annual high-level dialogue on climate and sustainability in order to monitor progress and align policies on energy, biodiversity and environmental protection;

Way forward

31. Welcomes the holding of the seventh EU-AU Summit in Luanda as a significant opportunity for African and European leaders to reaffirm their commitment to the EU-AU partnership; calls on participants to seize this occasion to announce measurable commitments for the next five years, notably through the adoption of a joint action plan for 2025-2030, a roadmap to double Africa-EU trade and investment by 2030, and a renewed joint framework on digital transformation and green energy partnerships;

32. Urges the Commission and the EEAS to establish annual high-level dialogues with the AU Commission and Regional Economic Communities in four priority areas: peace and security, trade and economic cooperation, migration and mobility, and sustainability and climate action, in order to evaluate partnership priorities, monitor implementation and feed into both the AU-EU summit process and the EU’s multiannual financial framework; proposes that AU-EU consultations be institutionalised at ministerial and senior official level each year, ensuring continuous coordination, accountability and adaptive policy design;

33. Stresses the importance of strengthening the parliamentary dimension of the Africa-Europe partnership; calls for the organisation of a pre-summit meeting between Members of the European Parliament and members of the Pan-African Parliament to ensure that the voices of elected representatives from both continents help shape the agenda, priorities and outcomes of the upcoming EU-AU summit; underlines that such dialogue would enhance democratic legitimacy, foster mutual understanding and ensure that the summit’s conclusions reflect the concerns and aspirations of citizens across Africa and Europe; stresses also the importance of the meaningful engagement of civil society in the partnership and at summits; commends the European Parliament’s decision to open an office in Addis Ababa in order to follow closely the activities and decision-making processes of the AU and its Pan-African Parliament;

34. Calls on its President to invite African heads of state to address Parliament on a more regular basis, ensuring balanced geographical representation and fostering deeper political dialogue between the two continents;

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35. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the President of the European Council, the President of the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council, the African Union Commission, the Pan-African Parliament, the governments and parliaments of the EU Member States and the African Union member states, and to the Secretaries-General of the United Nations and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States.