EU and African Union Foreign Ministers Show Strengthened Partnership
Ministers of Foreign Affairs from EU and AU countries met in Brussels to discuss common action on various issues, as part of their strengthened partnership
March 04th, 2019
The issues discussed during the meeting in January included peace, security and governance, trade and investment and continental economic integration as well as their commitment to multilateralism.
The meeting was chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Rwanda Richard Sezibera. 28 EU member states and 55 members of the AU attended this meeting.
It was the first annual inter-Summit EU-AU ministerial meeting and was an occasion to reflect on the implementation of the outcome of the 5th African Union- European Union Summit that took place in 2017. This Summit meeting marked a breakthrough in reforming the relationship into an even stronger, mutually beneficial partnership better improved to a quickly developing global context.
High Representative Mogherini said, “this meeting confirms our common determination to build on our partnership and go towards an even stronger, deeper and more political partnership and friendship between both continents. A partnership that we all, Africans and Europeans alike, see as our shared and vital interest. This is a partnership that works because we are both committed to it.”
The EU is Africa’s first partner in all sectors, including trade, aid and investment, peace and security. The High Representative also said “we are above all political partners and this is the real change in the nature of our relationship that we have decided to put in place.”
The discussions focused on the stepping up of engagement with trade, investment and continental economic integration. “The European Union will contribute by supporting and de-risking investment concretely through our External Investment Plan, and this goes together with action on the African side that is ongoing to strengthen the business climate.”
