In 2020, the nature of the cooperation between the European Union and Africa is negotiated and might profoundly change: a new EU-Sahel Strategy, a new EU-Africa Strategy, the EU-AU summit in autumn, the German Presidency of the Council of the EU, the development of new finance instruments – all against the background of a shaky multilateralism and the challenges posed by the corona crisis. An opportunity to raise the partnership to “a new level”?