The EU-African Union Strategic Partnership: Summary and Diaspora Role

The European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) maintain a comprehensive, long-term Strategic Partnership, initially formalised by the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES), which is grounded in shared values, equality, and mutual respect. The overarching goal is to foster a shared vision for a common future, focusing on peace, security, democracy, prosperity, and sustainable development for both continents. Cooperation is structured around several key pillars, currently guided by the Joint Vision for 2030 agreed at the 6th AU-EU Summit in 2022 Consilium.

Key Pillars of the Partnership

  • Prosperity and Sustainable Growth: Economic cooperation focuses on sustainable trade and investment, accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and promoting the Green and Digital Transitions. The EU's Global Gateway initiative is a major instrument, mobilising up to EUR 150 billion in infrastructure and investment packages aligned with African priorities Consilium.
  • Peace, Security, and Governance: Collaboration strengthens African security and defence capabilities, supports the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), and promotes democracy, good governance, and human rights Consilium.
  • People, Mobility, and Migration: Investment in human development, education, culture, and social inclusion includes dialogue on migration and mobility, where the diaspora's role is most pronounced African Union.
  • Planet and Multilateralism: Joint efforts tackle global challenges such as climate change and environmental sustainability, while reinforcing multilateral cooperation within institutions like the UN and G20 Consilium.

The Role of the African Diaspora in Europe

The African diaspora is explicitly recognised as a critical development actor and bridge-builder in operationalising the partnership agenda, particularly within the Migration, Mobility, and Employment dialogue African Union.

  • Economic and Financial Contributions (Remittances): Diaspora remittances often exceed Official Development Assistance (ODA). The partnership seeks to facilitate these flows and encourage diaspora investment African Union.
  • Skills and Knowledge Transfer (Brain Circulation): The AU-EU framework leverages diaspora intellectual capacities and professional expertise. Initiatives such as Skills Mobility Partnerships promote legal pathways, labour migration, and circular migration to address Africa's youth employment challenge and Europe's labour shortages in green and digital sectors African Union.
  • Governance and Democracy: Diaspora communities contribute to democratisation processes, advocacy, and lobbying to influence EU policies regarding Africa, acting as goodwill ambassadors and political bridge-builders African Union.
  • Institutional Engagement: The partnership aims to remove barriers to diaspora participation, including accreditation of diaspora organisations in AU and AU-EU forums African Union.

Outcomes of the 7th AU-EU Summit (Luanda, November 2025)

The Joint Declaration of the 7th AU-EU Summit reinforced commitments to innovation, skills, and diaspora engagement Consilium African Union Forbes Africa.

Innovation, Research, and Digital Transition

  • Financial Commitments: Leaders announced an additional EUR 43 million package for the Africa-Europe Digital Innovation Bridge 2.0, boosting digital entrepreneurship and local value creation African Union.
  • Digital Governance and AI: Cooperation is guided by the AU Digital Transformation Strategy and the EU International Digital Strategy, focusing on digital literacy, online safety, and ethical AI development Consilium.
  • Research Investment: Since 2021, over EUR 3 billion has been invested in AU-EU research partnerships, with EUR 1.3 billion allocated through Horizon Europe for African-led research Consilium.

African Diaspora as Drivers of Change

  • Recognising Contribution: The Declaration formally acknowledged the diaspora as key drivers of innovation and investment African Union.
  • Facilitating Finance and Mobility: Commitments were made to reduce remittance costs and enhance legal migration pathways for students, academics, researchers, and skilled professionals, linking mobility directly to innovation and skills development Forbes Africa.
  • People-to-People Ties: Exchanges through Erasmus+ and the Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme remain central to fostering long-term human development and skill transfer African Union.

In summary: The AU-EU Strategic Partnership, anchored in the Joint Vision for 2030 and reinforced at the 7th Summit in Luanda (2025), highlights the African diaspora as indispensable actors in driving innovation, investment, and democratic engagement across both continents Consilium African Union Forbes Africa.

Sources: ConsiliumEU Council Joint Declaration, 7th AU-EU Summit African UnionAfrican Union Press Release, 7th AU-EU Summit Forbes AfricaForbes Africa coverage of AU-EU Summit