OP33_eu-africa_islam.indd

This research paper by Shada Islam, published by the South African Institute of International Affairs in May 2009, examines the European Union's (EU) use of 'strategic partnerships' to increase its global political influence. The author argues that while these agreements boost the EU's visibility, they often lack substance and are hindered by internal EU divisions, a reliance on 'soft power' over military capabilities, and diverging geostrategic interests with partners such as China and India.

• The EU uses strategic partnerships as public relations tools to transition from being perceived as an "economic giant, but a political dwarf" to a pivotal political actor. However, these agreements are often criticized as being more about "style and process than content and substance," frequently serving as "prestigious and aspirational documents" rather than actionable policies.
• The EU's strategic partnerships are weakened by internal contradictions and structural failures, including the inability of the 27 member nations to "speak with one voice on key political issues" and a "vacuum at the top" regarding the appointment of a foreign minister following Ireland's rejection of a reform treaty.
• The EU relies primarily on "soft power" tools—trade, aid, and diplomacy—and is often not perceived as a "real" military player by its partners, despite the deployment of crisis-management and peacekeeping missions in Africa, the Middle East, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
• The strategic partnership with India is characterized by a "mismatch of aspirations and goals." While the EU seeks a multilateral system to address 21st-century challenges like terrorism, India views the partnership as a means to gain "worldwide visibility, prestige and political clout" and prioritizes its own regional tensions with China and Pakistan.
• EU-China relations are strained by disputes over human rights, specifically regarding Tibet, and a ballooning trade deficit that reached "160 billion euros ($207.4 billion)" in the previous year. The EU is divided on whether China is a "rival or a partner," with some leaders prioritizing lucrative business deals over human rights concerns.
• The EU's 2003 European Security Strategy aimed to define strategic priorities and demonstrate that the EU could opt for "robust intervention" in crises, though it has only deployed troops under UN mandates or requests from the African Union.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (n.d.). OP33_eu-africa_islam.indd. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Occasional-Paper-33.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. OP33_eu-africa_islam.indd. n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Occasional-Paper-33.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=OP33_eu-africa_islam.indd |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Occasional-Paper-33.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairsndop33euafricaislamindd, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{OP33\_eu-africa\_islam.indd}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/Occasional-Paper-33.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }