Global challenges such as COVID-19 and climate change have laid bare the limitation of existing international cooperation. They exposed the need for a real partnership that can not only advance Africa-Europe relations but play a transformative role in the face of the world’s most pressing challenges.
~Africa-Europe Foundation
The Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF) was co-founded by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation and Friends of Europe in 2020, in partnership with the African Climate Foundation and ONE, as an independent platform to drive fresh policy thinking and unlock new opportunities between Africa and Europe.
The AEF gathers organisations and leaders from across civil society, business and politics from both Africa and Europe, with a specific focus on youth. By pioneering new multi-stakeholder platforms and open debates, it aims to foster a partnership based upon shared values and common interests.
Strategy groups
AEF has currently put in place five strategy groups that focus on issues that are central to Africa-Europe cooperation: health; digital; agriculture and sustainable food systems; energy and green transformation; transport and connectivity. AEF’s High-Level Group of Personalities provides political and strategic advice.
AEF’s Women Leaders Network meets regularly to discuss priority issues and the best way to implement commitments made.
AU-EU Summit
Ahead of the sixth AU-EU Summit, 17-18 February 2022, the AEF held three debates on important, often contentious, challenges for the two continents: climate and energy (20 January), migration and mobility (27 January), and vaccine equity (3 February).
The discussions were informed by research provided by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, which is unpacked in three data stories, linked below.
