Strengthening the AU-EU partnership on the economic development and trade agenda

This brief identifies some of the shared priorities between Africa and the European Union (EU) as well as challenges in their partnership as it currently stands. It also suggests concrete ways forward to strengthen the economic development and trade agenda of the AU-EU cooperation and gives policy recommendations towards a more effective partnership.

Fixing UN financing: a Pandora’s box the World Health Organization should open

In a context of existential transnational challenges and growing inter-state rivalries, we need well-financed, universal multilateralism that can set global rules and norms, drive forward action, and sidestep the tendency for money and military might to buy global influence. The WHO Executive Board now has an opportunity not only to reinvigorate its own organisation, but also to advance a discussion on how the entire UN system can be placed on a stronger, more financially sustainable footing. Passing up this moment out of fear of the implications for member state fiscal obligations to the wider UN system would be both unfortunate and short-sighted.

The rise of public development banks in the European financial architecture for development

Elcano and ETTG have published the report on the rise of public development banks in the European financial architecture for development which shows how PDBs are critical in promoting resilience to shocks (financial, economic, pandemic, climate, etc.), stabilise the economy and foster a more rapid long-lasting recovery. The report also stresses  the importance of medium- and long-term finance for development that  can help building markets and promoting economic transformation in a  sustainable, green, inclusive and gender-sensitive manner.  

Synthesis note: Strengthening the continent-to-continent dialogue on sustainable development

This synthesis note presents one-page overviews of the main findings and recommendations in relation to the five themes, which are discussed in greater detail in the policy briefs that have been published during the past months. A link to the full policy brief is included at the end of each one-pager. These thematic overviews are preceded by a short analysis of the relationship between Africa and Europe and five proposals for strengthening the continent-to-continent dialogue on sustainable development.

Towards a renewed Africa-Europe Partnership for Investment

The COVID-19 crisis has created a dire need for the active facilitation of sustainable investment to promote an inclusive, gender-sensitive and green recovery. The partnership between the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU), and their respective member states, can provide a strategic and institutional framework for stimulating sustainable investment in a collective manner.

Financing the 2030 Agenda: An SDG alignment framework for Public Development Banks

The present study is the product of the European Think Tanks Group (ETTG) collaboration aiming both to propose a definition of SDG alignment and to provide concrete principles to further operationalise and promote such alignment in practice.

ETTG paper DIE/ECDPM/ACET - Green Transitions in Africa–Europe relations: What role for the European Green Deal?

Green Transitions in Africa–Europe relations: What role for the European Green Deal?

Europe–Africa relations are facing a double challenge – the COVID-19 pandemic puts social and economic systems under strain at a point when the consequences of the climate crisis are being increasingly felt on both continents. Within Africa and Europe, debates have started about recovery measures to address the pandemic’s short and medium-term socio-economic consequences. A key question in these debates is how to “build back better” and use the crisis to promote green transitions and move towards more sustainable development pathways.