Global Gateway: EU Commissioner Urpilainen and AU Leadership strengthen partnership and take stock of progress

During her mission to the African Union (AU) and Ethiopia on Monday 14 October, European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen and AU leadership reaffirmed the two Unions’ shared commitment to sustainable prosperity and effective multilateralism, peace and security. The visit was an opportunity to take stock of progress made through Global Gateway in advancing the objectives of the EU-AU Joint Vision for 2030 and the AU Agenda 2063.

Renewed EU-AU Engagement at the Highest Level – a bright future for ever-closer partnership

During the mission, Commissioner Urpilainen held a range of meetings with AU leadership, starting with a bilateral with H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC). The leaders reviewed the strong cooperation between the African Union and the European Union, in line with the Joint Vision for 2030 adopted at the last AU–EU Summit in Brussels in February 2022. They also exchanged views on the current geopolitics and the important year ahead, as the Africa-EU Partnership celebrates its 25^th anniversary in 2025 and Africa looks forward to hosting the next Summit. 

EU Commissioner Urpilainen highlighted, “Africa has been a priority for the current European Commission, and I do not see this changing in the future. African Union is the key interlocutor and counterpart for the European Commission in shaping and nurturing the partnership between our continents. With the difficult global context, this partnership has grown ever more important and is delivering tangible results in line with the EU-AU Joint Vision for 2030. The various announcements done today showcase the depth and broad scope of our cooperation.”– Jutta Urpilainen, European Commissioner for International Partnerships.

The Commissioner also met with H.E. Dr. Monique Nsanzabaganwa, Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission. Both leaders discussed the critical support of the EU to the African Union in the context of AU reform. The leaders signed the Administrative Arrangement establishing a framework for staff exchange and administrative cooperation with the African Union Commission.

Strengthening economic ties: supporting Africa’s regional integration and attractiveness for investment

The visit included the first EU-AU High Level Dialogue on Economic Integration and Trade (HLD), which was presided over by Commissioner Urpilainen and H.E. Albert Muchanga, AU Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals. The dialogue allowed the leaders to share experiences and lessons learnt on matters pertaining to trade and investment from regional value chains to industrial development, while identifying priority areas of cooperation to strengthen the AU-EU partnership on economic integration. Trade between the EU and Africa amounted to nearly €367 billion in 2023, a 27% increase from 2013. The EU is the top trading partner and the largest export market of Africa, accounting for 33% of the total trade of Africa in 2023.

This Dialogue was followed by the joint launch of the Regional Team Europe Initiative (TEI) in Support of African economic integration towards the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Under this important initiative, the European Union, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, France, The Netherlands, Portugal, Finland, and Sweden have teamed up for an amount of around €1.1 billion to implement more than 70 programmes supporting African economic integration at the continental, regional and national levels.

Joint Report: 95 Team Europe Initiatives (TEIs) already developed across Africa, more to come

H.E. Nardos Bekele Thomas, AUDA NEPAD CEO, joined Commissioner Urpilainen to sign an Administrative Arrangement between EU and AUDA NEPAD to reinforce the two institutions’ cooperation, and for the presentation of the joint report taking stock of progress in the implementation of the 6th EU-AU Summit commitments on sustainable prosperity. The report reflects the results of the implementation of the Global Gateway Africa – Europe Investment Package adopted at the 6th EU-AU Summit in 2022.

The full report can be found here and a factsheet with Global Gateway flagship projects in Africa here.

The joint report is the result of a cooperation between the European and African Union Commissions and AUDA-NEPAD to present a concise and factual overview of progress achieved and shows the alignment between the EU-AU Joint Vision for 2030 and AU Agenda 2063. It highlights concrete policy initiatives towards a shared vision of a prosperous and sustainable future for both continents. The first two years of implementing the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package have seen substantial progress and tangible results with 95 Team Europe Initiatives (TEIs) already developed in different African countries and regions. Projects are underway across the 11 key areas of the Investment Package, tailored to address specific needs and contribute to sustainable development across Africa

AU-EU Youth Lab Launch: connecting, empowering and engaging young people across Africa and Europe

Commissioner Urpilainen launched the AU-EU Youth Lab programme with 40 youth representatives. The main objective of this programme is to contribute to the empowerment of youth in Africa and to strengthen their involvement in active, meaningful and innovative ways. This will position young people as future leaders, more effectively able to contribute to decision-making, complementing the respective youth engagements of the AU and EU. More information here.

Jointly combatting Mpox: new EU support announced

Commissioner Urpilainen announced an additional €20 million in funding to support the joint continental response plan for mpox of the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in particular the response in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The announcement was made alongside Dr Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC Director-General. The funds come on top of previous support to the plan from the EU and its Member States, including €24.8 million – of which €17.6 million from the European Commission – to the WHO, Africa CDC and partner countries and the donation of more than 566,000 vaccine doses. In addition, ‘Team Europe‘ is a lead investor in global health initiatives such as the Pandemic Fund that is fast-tracking funds for enhanced laboratory capacity, surveillance and detection of the virus, and the training of emergency workforce for vaccinations. The new funds will contribute to tackling both the current and future health emergencies in a coordinated intervention with partners such as the WHO and affected countries. The European Union is committed to strengthening health systems and preparedness and response capacity in Africa, including through the Team Europe Initiative on Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies (MAV+).

Finally, Commissioner Urpilainen met the newly appointed H.E. Taye Atske-Selassie, president of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, on multipolar geopolitical realm, internal situation in the country and enhancing the EU and Ethiopia partnership.

Related document

• Report
• 14 October 2024
• Directorate-General for International Partnerships

Joint report European Commission – AUDA-NEPAD: implementation of the 2030 vision

This report aims to present a concise, factual overview of progress achieved in delivering on commitments made at the 6th European Union-African Union Summit in 2022, under the first pillar of the Joint Summit Declaration, ‘A Joint Vision for 2030’: a prosperous and sustainable Africa and Europe.