AU-EU Summit in Luanda: A Mixed Anniversary for a Partnership Seeking Balance

LUANDA – As the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) celebrate 25 years of cooperation at the 7th joint summit in Luanda on November 24 and 25, 2025, official discourses on a “win-win partnership” contrast with the persistent realities of an asymmetrical relationship. While both blocs express a common desire to strengthen their ties, divergences on migration, trade issues, and the colonial legacy raise fundamental questions about the future of this cooperation. An Ambitious Framework, Uneven Achievements The summit's theme, “Promoting Peace and Prosperity through Effective Multilateralism,” reflects the shared aspirations of the two continents. With nearly 80 heads of state and government present, the event highlighted tangible progress, particularly in the areas of infrastructure, health, and security. The EU, Africa's main trading partner with over 40% of investments on the continent, also finances peacekeeping operations via the European Peace Facility, endowed with 600 million euros for 2022-2025. However, critical voices highlight the limits of this partnership. Father Louison Emerick, representative of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) to the AU, believes that “many promises have been made, but few things have been achieved.” He denounces a “paternalistic approach” where the EU “often dictates orientations,” citing European pressures on migrant repatriation as an example. When Migration, a Sensitive Topic, is at the Heart of Divergent Positions The issue of migration, central to the discussions on the second day, illustrates the tensions between the two blocs. While the EU insists on increased cooperation in managing migratory flows, including the link between development aid and border control, African countries demand a more balanced approach. Ivorian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Léon Kacou Adom, advocated for “putting everything on the table,” including the economic benefits of migration. However, no major announcement on this matter is expected in the final statement. Discussions focus more on finding “points of convergence,” reflecting the difficulty in reconciling sometimes contradictory interests. The Paradox of Double Standards Another point of friction lies in trade practices between Europe and Africa. While the EU promises an equitable partnership, a report by NGOs Public Eye and Unearthed reveals that 122,000 tons of pesticides banned in the EU were exported to Africa in 2024, a 50% increase compared to 2018. Among these substances are probable carcinogens and endocrine disruptors, such as dichloropropene and mancozeb. Marcos Orellana, UN Special Rapporteur on toxic products, calls this practice an “odious double standard” and “environmental racism.” These exports, mainly from Germany, Belgium, and Spain, raise ethical questions about the coherence of European policies. Reparations and Multilateralism: Unresolved Questions The issue of reparations for slavery and colonization, although absent from official discussions, was raised by civil society actors. Father Louison Emerick recalls that the AU has made 2025 the year of “justice for Africans and people of African descent through reparations.” For him, without recognition of historical wrongs and “unsustainable” debts, a truly balanced partnership will remain illusory. On the European side, a thirty-point resolution from the European Parliament calls for an “equal-to-equal” relationship, including support for local processing of raw materials and opening markets to processed African products. Belgian MEP Yvan Verougstraete emphasizes the need to “promote industrial partnerships rather than extraction contracts.” A Future to Reinvent Despite the challenges, the Luanda summit has the merit of highlighting the need for renewed dialogue. Multilateralism, often invoked in speeches, will need to be materialized through concrete actions, including better consideration of African voices, including those of civil society and religious actors. As Fadel Barro, coordinator of the Senegalese movement “Y en a marre,” summarizes, “Europe and Africa are still floundering in a relationship from another era.” To transform this partnership, it will be necessary to move beyond transactional logics and build cooperation based on transparency, justice, and mutual interests.