Beyond Brussels and Addis Ababa: How to make the AU-EU partnership work

The commentary assesses the challenges of the African Union (AU) and European Union (EU) partnership, noting that while common interests exist, translating them into impact remains difficult. It calls for a shift from a donor-recipient model to one based on African ownership and private sector engagement. Key areas for cooperation include a just green transition that supports African industrialisation, coordinated health systems for local pharmaceutical manufacturing, and technical support for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The authors emphasize that the EU must recognize global climate injustice and provide sufficient financing to ensure African economies benefit from the green transition.

• The green transition is identified as the most challenging area of cooperation because the EU focuses on a worldwide net-zero goal while Africa seeks equitable low-carbon development and adaptation to climate risks. For success, the EU must acknowledge global climate injustice, provide additional financing, and support African industrialisation, potentially including the use of natural gas.
• In the health sector, the AU and EU can collaborate on long-term coordinated systems, focusing on local pharmaceutical manufacturing, technology transfer, and regulatory harmonisation. This is supported by initiatives such as the AU's Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing and the EU's Team Europe Initiative.
• Digitalisation offers potential but faces risks regarding job losses and governance of artificial intelligence, data protection, and privacy. While the AU-EU Digital 4 Development (D4D) Hub is a driver, Africa specifically requires a greater focus on digital skills and the development of robust innovation ecosystems.
• Regarding trade, the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is central to diversifying productive capacities. The EU can support this through technical assistance on rules of origin and logistics, while the EU's own trade approach remains based on Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and Association Agreements (AAs).
• Successful investment requires moving away from a public sector donor-recipient approach toward full African ownership and the active engagement of the private sector through joint platforms and harmonised legal frameworks.

APA

Floyd, R., Yawson, F., Teevan, C., Medinilla, A., Apiko, P., Van Hove, K., Ali, A. A., Jaïdi, L., Zaoui, A., Handy, P.-S., & Tadesse, S. (2022). Beyond Brussels and Addis Ababa: How to make the AU-EU partnership work. African Center for Economic Transformation. https://acetforafrica.org/research-and-analysis/insights-ideas/commentary/beyond-brussels-and-addis-ababa-how-to-make-the-au-eu-partnership-work/

Chicago

Floyd, Rob, Freda Yawson, Chloe Teevan, Alfonso Medinilla, Philomena Apiko, Kathleen Van Hove, Abdelaaziz Ait Ali, et al. Beyond Brussels and Addis Ababa: How to make the AU-EU partnership work. African Center for Economic Transformation, 2022. https://acetforafrica.org/research-and-analysis/insights-ideas/commentary/beyond-brussels-and-addis-ababa-how-to-make-the-au-eu-partnership-work/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Floyd |first1=Rob |last2=Yawson |first2=Freda |last3=Teevan |first3=Chloe |last4=Medinilla |first4=Alfonso |last5=Apiko |first5=Philomena |last6=Van Hove |first6=Kathleen |last7=Ali |first7=Abdelaaziz Ait |last8=Jaïdi |first8=Larabi |last9=Zaoui |first9=Akram |display-authors=etal |title=Beyond Brussels and Addis Ababa: How to make the AU-EU partnership work |publisher=African Center for Economic Transformation |date=15 February 2022 |url=https://acetforafrica.org/research-and-analysis/insights-ideas/commentary/beyond-brussels-and-addis-ababa-how-to-make-the-au-eu-partnership-work/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{floyd2022beyond, author = {Floyd, Rob and Yawson, Freda and Teevan, Chloe and Medinilla, Alfonso and Apiko, Philomena and Van Hove, Kathleen and Ali, Abdelaaziz Ait and Jaïdi, Larabi and Zaoui, Akram and Handy, Paul-Simon and Tadesse, Selam}, title = {{Beyond Brussels and Addis Ababa: How to make the AU-EU partnership work}}, publisher = {African Center for Economic Transformation}, year = {2022}, month = feb, url = {https://acetforafrica.org/research-and-analysis/insights-ideas/commentary/beyond-brussels-and-addis-ababa-how-to-make-the-au-eu-partnership-work/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }