External publications

25 years of AU-EU Relations, and the case for acknowledging history in unprecedented times

Tembo, Danai / Sakhile Phiri / Niels Keijzer
External Publications (2025)

published on ettg.eu, 14.05.2025

On 21 May, an AU-EU ministerial meeting in Brussels will take stock of the cooperation results since the first summit and set out new goals and ambitions for cooperation. In today’s turbulent international environment, it may be tempting to prioritise short-term cooperation and external investment under the Global Gateway strategy. However, this approach risks overlooking the enduring legacies that shape current partnerships. Rather than maintaining an ahistorical lens, there is a pressing need to confront the full historical context of these relationships, including their uncomfortable truths, to build more equitable and informed cooperation.