Europe – Africa relations in a multi-crises world: Turning the page after COVID-19, the EU-AU Summit and the war against Ukraine

This report addresses the state of Africa-Europe relations, almost one year after the 6th AU-EU Summit, providing a number of policy recommendations to African and European decision makers in four key areas of cooperation : climate change and fair energy transition; food security; peace, security and participatory governance; and development finance.

Assessing the implications of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine for Africa and Europe-Africa relations

The European Think Tanks Group (ETTG) with the support of the Regional Bureau Africa (RBA) of UNDP undertook practical analyses on the combined impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine on Africa and on the Africa-Europe partnership. These analyses served as an input in a major event organised in Brussels on November 30 and on December 1, 2022.

Covid-19 and the Ukraine crisis: questioning the EU-Africa partnership of equals?

EU-Africa relations have hardly followed a linear path, but the events of the past two years – namely, Covid-19 and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine – seemingly put it under additional strain, allowing age-old grievances to come back in full force.

The implications of global multi-crises for EU-Africa relations. In the food security domain

Food insecurity had been worsening significantly in Africa even before Russia´s invasion of Ukraine. Climate shocks, the COVID-19 pandemic and regional conflicts were disrupting food production and distribution resulting in rising costs for agricultural commodities on the continent. The war in Ukraine exacerbated the situation, pushing food and fertiliser prices even higher.

The EU-Africa peace and security partnership. Political and financial stumbling blocks and a few ways forward

The EU-Africa partnership has ebbed and flowed over the years, with the period since 2020 being particularly dynamic. With the Covid-19 pandemic, the response to the war in Ukraine and the subsequent energy crisis in Europe, cleavages have been unearthed in the partnership.

The future of the EU as a global development actor

The report builds on the result of the European Think Tanks Group (ETTG) and the Elcano Royal Institute cooperation, with the support of the Spanish State Secretariat for International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.