African Union and European Union Celebrate 25 Years of Strengthened Partnership

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آذار/مارس 25, 2025

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The African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) launched a year-long celebration marking the 25th anniversary of their enduring and unique partnership, since the first Africa-Europe Summit on 3-4 April 2000 in Cairo.

This milestone, aligned with the Africa Agenda 2063 and the Global Gateway Investment Package for Africa, underscores the powerful impact of two unions representing over 1.9 billion people and accounting for more than 40% of the UN’s membership.

In the lead-up to the Ministerial Meeting on 21 May 2025, in Brussels, gathering over 80 governments and the new leadership of both AU and EU, a series of anniversary initiatives will be promoted. These will include joint outreach explaining the development of the partnership and concrete results and open dialogues on shared challenges. These activities will pave the way for the 7^th African Union-European Union Summit to be hosted in Africa later this year.

The 25th anniversary will highlight the strategic alignment of the AU-EU partnership around the four central pillars of the Joint Vision for 2030 adopted by African and European leaders at their Summit in 2022.

Key Pillars of the AU-EU Partnership:

1. Prosperity: a prosperous and sustainable Africa and Europe

The AU and EU are committed to fostering regional economic integration and sustainable growth, bringing together people, regions, and organisations. The Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package , actively supports the implementation of the Africa Agenda 2063. The EU is Africa’s first trading partner and AU and EU work together on sustainable trade and investment that create growth and jobs, as well as, on accelerating the green and digital transitions strengthening health systems and improving education and skills.

2. Peace, Security and Governance: Partnering for Stability

The AU and EU are committed to a joint approach to peace, security, and governance, recognising that stability, the rule of law and democratic institutions are fundamental for sustainable development. Under the African leadership, the EU is an active and long-term partner for peace with civilian and military training and security missions and for the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA).

3. People: Investing in Human Development

Human development remains at the core of the AU-EU partnership. Joint initiatives on migration and mobility, education, culture, exchange opportunities, social inclusion and humanitarian affairs, empower people, especially women and youth, to build prosperous and inclusive societies. The EU and the AU are committed to the rule of law, good governance, democratic principles, respect for human rights, gender equality, and justice.

4. Planet: A Global Force for Multilateralism and Sustainability

Representing more than 40% of the UN’s membership, the AU and EU are a formidable force for strong support for the multilateral system, with the UN Charter at its core, and for environmental sustainability. Both are working to increase the legitimacy and effectiveness of the multilateral system: cooperation within the G20, chaired by South Africa, and the Pact for the Future are two examples. Together, they are driving global action to promote shared fundamental values and to address climate change and protect the planet.

How to stay updated:

More information will be shared along the year under the #AUEU25 at both Unions’ digital platforms:

AU: Website: au.int | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

EU EEAS: X/ Facebook/ Youtube - / Instagram / LinkedIn / Website/ Press Material

EU Delegation to the AU: Website / X / Facebook /

For further information, please contact:

Rita Fortunato Baptista I Political Officer & Strategic Communication | European Union Delegation to the AU | E-mail: Rita.FORTUNATO-BAPTISTA@eeas.europa.eu

Media Contact:

Janet Faith Adhiambo Ochieng | Communications Officer-Agenda 2063 | African Union Commission | Email: ochiengj@africa-union.org | Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Biruk Feleke I Press & Information Officer | European Union Delegation to the AU | E-mail: biruk.feleke@eeas.europa.eu

Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission I E-mail: DIC@africa-union.org

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Department Tags

AUC

Partnerships Tags

Africa–European Union (EU) Partnership

Agenda 2063

Flagship Projects

Integrated High Speed Train Network

Connecting African capitals and commercial centers through a High-Speed Train Network; facilitating the movement of goods, factor services and people as well as reducing transport costs and relieving congestion of current and future systems through increased rail connectivity.

African Commodities Strategy

Transforming Africa from a raw materials supplier by enabling countries to add value, extract higher rents from commodities, integrate into global value chains promote diversification anchored in value addition and local content development.

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)

Accelerating intra-African trade and boosting Africa’s trading position in the global market by strengthening Africa’s common voice and policy space in global trade negotiations.

The African Passport & Free Movement of People

Removing restrictions on Africans’ ability to travel, work and live within their own continent by transforming restrictive laws and promoting visa free travel to enhance movement of all African citizens in all African countries.

Silencing the Guns by 2020

Ending all wars, civil conflicts, gender-based violence, violent conflicts and preventing genocide in the continent by 2020.

The Grand Inga Dam Project

Generating an estimated 43,200MW of power to support current regional power pools and their combined service to transform Africa from traditional to modern sources of energy and ensure access to clean and affordable electricity.

Single African Air-Transport Market

Promoting intra-regional connectivity between the capital cities of Africa by creating a single unified air transport market in Africa, as an impetus to the continent’s economic integration and growth agenda.

African Economic Forum

Multi-stakeholder meeting bringing together the Africa’s policy makers, private sector, academia and civil society to reflect on accelerating Africa’s socio- economic development and transformation by harnessing its vast resources.

African Financial Institutions

Accelerating integration and economic development through the establishment of organisations which will play a pivotal role in the mobilization of resources and management of the African financial sector.

The Pan African e-Network

Transforming Africa into an e-Society by implementing policies and strategies that lead to transformative e-applications and services in Africa such as broad band terrestrial infrastructure, cyber security and revolutionary bio and nanotechnology industries.

Africa Outer Space Strategy

Strengthening Africa’s use of outer space to bolster development in critical sectors such as agriculture, disaster management, remote sensing, climate forecast, banking and finance, defense and security.

African Virtual & e-University

Using ICT based programmes to increase access to tertiary and continuing education in Africa by reaching large numbers of students and professionals in multiple sites simultaneously.

Cyber Security

Incorporating emerging technologies in Africa’s development plans and ensuring these technologies are used for the benefit of African individuals, institutions and nation states by ensuring data protection and safety online.

Great African Museum

Preserving and promoting African cultural heritage by creating awareness of Africa’s vast, dynamic and diverse cultural artefacts and Africa’s continuing influence on world cultures in art, music, language, science, and so on.

Encyclopaedia Africana

Provide an authoritative resource on the authentic history of Africa and African life.

NOW

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Agenda 2063

Key Resources