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European and African leaders convened in Luanda, Angola, for a summit aimed at strengthening economic and security ties, with emergency talks on the conflict in Ukraine dominating the agenda.
High-profile attendees, including France’s President Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz, initially focused on efforts to amend a controversial 28-point US peace proposal that many European nations view as overly favourable to Russia’s demands.
This urgent discussion followed meetings between US and Ukrainian representatives in Geneva.
Beyond the Ukraine crisis, the primary focus of the seventh EU-African Union gathering was deepening cooperation on trade, migration, and access to critical raw materials.
Celebrating 25 years of partnership, both blocs acknowledged the need to revamp their relationship, particularly as Africa has attracted significant interest from global competitors like China, the US, and Gulf states.
The EU, currently Africa’s top trading partner, plans to offer expertise to boost intra-African trade and showcase investments under its Global Gateway initiative, such as the US-partnered Lobito corridor railway project, to secure vital minerals for Europe’s green transition.
African leaders, however, emphasised they seek “credible, implementable commitments” over new declarations, stressing the need for projects that create value in Africa rather than just visibility for Brussels.
