Today, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will receive the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. Together with the Chairperson of the African Union and Minister of External relations of Angola, Tete António, ministers will gather in Brussels for the European Union-African Union (EU-AU) ministerial in Brussels. Commissioner for the Mediterranean, Dubravka Šuica, Commissioner for International Partnership, Jozef Síkela, Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, and Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner will attend the meeting, co-chaired by the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, and Minister António.
Foreign affairs ministers of the European Union and the African Union will meet for the third time to take stock of progress made since the sixth EU-AU Summit of February 2022.
Commissioner Síkela will co-lead the thematic session on ‘Prosperity’ and present his ambition to deepen the EU–Africa partnership under the Global Gateway into one based on mutual benefit, equality and shared strategic interests. During the session, Commissioner Šuica will present the EU’s triangular cooperation with North Africa and highlight the potential for more opportunities for sustainable investments and trade for both sides.
Both Commissioners Síkela and Šuica will also hold bilateral meetings with ministers of African countries.
Commissioner Lahbib will introduce the panel on ‘Multilateralism’ to reaffirm the EU’s principled approach and adherence to international law and the multilateral system.
Commissioner Brunner will co-lead the thematic session on ‘People – migration and mobility’, highlighting that people are at the basis of cooperation at the heart of EU-AU relations.
Commissioner Brunner will also hold bilateral meetings with ministers from the African Union, in view of his upcoming visits in the coming months.
The gathering will serve as a platform to discuss how to adapt the multilateral system at a time of increased geopolitical volatility and how to engage in a stronger, collective effort to support the most vulnerable, promoting international humanitarian law, ensuring protection of civilians, and securing humanitarian access.
High Representative Kallas will participate in a joint press conference following the meeting today, at around 13:30-14:00 CEST, which will be available on EBS.
