In a time of global challenges, the Africa-Europe Foundation aims to reset the relations between the two continents by building a true partnership and a vision for a shared future.
Established in 2020 by Friends of Europe, the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, in partnership the African Climate Foundation and ONE Campaign, the Africa- Europe Foundation aims to empower a narrative shift about the relations between Africa and Europe.
The activities of the Foundation’s High-Level Group of Personalities, and the work of its Strategy Groups on Health, Digital, Transport, Agriculture and Energy, underpin our commitment of reframing the relations between Africa and Europe.
The Africa-Europe Foundation Strategy Groups mobilise and connect leaders and experts from civil society, business, policymaking from both continents, with the ambition to drive impactful transformative initiatives.
We act as an observatory of pioneering practices that can be scaled up at the regional level. Through our Women Leaders Network, we provide the space for candid dialogue among leading personalities from Africa and Europe, at the nexus of climate and health. Our cooperation with the Mayors Dialogue initiative also supports bold climate action with cities.
We drive fresh thinking for international policymaking and introduce impactful research on the cross-cutting issues of our Strategy Groups. Our “High-Level Group Report”, AEF’s annual flagship publication, contributes to reframing and reinforcing the Africa-Europe partnership on the global stage.
Through established cooperation we work in close partnership with international organisations, including WHO and the United Nations, in an effort to also contribute to the agenda-setting of major political summits and support concrete deliverables for the AU-EU political dialogue processes.
Beyond our dialogue work and opinion-leadership, we develop citizen platforms and outreach initiatives to reinforce a whole-of-society approach to our programming and to a strengthened Africa-Europe partnership. We run the “Talking Africa-Europe” broadcast series that brings together policymakers and youth networks in a unique exchange.
Our “Debating Africa” platform, together with partner Afrobarometer, is challenging traditional ‘top-down’ thinking through a citizen-led, data-driven platform. The annual AEF Forum brings together leaders from the Foundation’s programming with representatives of civil society, politics and business to debate issues critical to the future of our neighbouring continents.
The Africa-Europe Foundation collaborates with high-impact organisations and leaders from civil society, business and politics both from Africa and Europe.
We envision to enlarge the Africa-Europe partnership to new and diverse actors by building an inclusive and multi-stakeholder “platform of platforms” and focusing on younger generations.
COP27 represents a significant milestone in which to break new ground towards Africa and Europe shared future. At COP27, the Africa-Europe Foundation together with its partners, will facilitate open and frank dialogues on key, potentially contentious, issues between our two continents, demonstrating the true value of partnership which can be enhanced in favor of climate action.
Friends of Europe (FoE), a founding member of the Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF), will hold its yearly 'festival of politics and ideas' - the State of Europe (SoE) High-Level Roundtable on 27th October 2022. This activity will provide the timely opportunity to bring together stakeholders from both AEF's networks to profit from the discussions and connections which will take place throughout the day.
After seven editions organized between 2014 and 2021, the Dakar Forum has become an annual meeting awaited by leaders and international actors involved in Africa's development. Initiated by the President of the Republic of Senegal, H.E. Macky SALL, the last edition of the Forum took place at the beginning of the post-COVID-19 era, as indicated by its theme "The challenges of stability and emergence in Africa in a post-COVID-19 world". In 2022, the eighth edition of the Dakar Forum will focus on the theme: "Africa in the face of exogenous shocks: challenges of stability and sovereignty".
In the countdown to 2030, it is more urgent than ever that we mobilize the necessary funding, partnerships, and policies to achieve clean cooking for all and accelerate progress toward global development and climate goals. Co-hosted by CCA and the Government of Ghana, the Clean Cooking Forum 2022 will convene global leaders to pave the way for much needed action. Join policymakers, entrepreneurs, investors, donors, and other key partners to help bring clean cooking to the billions who live without it.
As part of the Science Summit at the 77th UNGA, the AEF will be organizing the ‘Africa-Europe Foundation Day’ focusing on ‘Strengthening the Africa-Europe relations through science and innovation.’ All through Tuesday 27th, the AEF sessions will tackle: • Agri-food systems • Taking stock of science for improved climate adaptation action and partnering in adaptation • Digital Economy • Intergenerational Dialogue with AEF Youth Delegation and Women Leaders about cross-continental cooperation on the SDGs
Under the patronage of the Austrian Federal President, Alexander Van der Bellen, the European Health Forum Gastein (EHFG) will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2022 and take stock of the substantial accomplishments in public health over the last quarter century. At the same time, we will look forward and discuss the challenges and policy options for action urgently needed across sectors, borders, and disciplines at this watershed moment for health, security, and solidarity.
The AEF Women Leaders Network (WLN) will host its second in-person meeting on 19th September at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA77) in New York, co-chaired by H.E Mary Robinson and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
On Thursday, 28 July, the AEF WLN will meet to discuss the current food and fuel crisis in both Africa and Europe. As an initiative which aims to unlock new opportunities for action through an enhanced Africa-Europe partnership, the WLN meets on average once a month under Chatham House rules allowing informal and trusted discussions across critical areas of inter-regional dialogue.
The AEF is taking part in the 2022 edition of the United Nations Ocean Conference. Co-hosted by the governments of Portugal and Kenya, the UN conference seeks to put forward solutions for a sustainably managed ocean, promoting innovative use of marine resources. The conference also tackles threats posed to health, ecology, economy and governance related to ocean acidification, marine litter and pollution, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and the loss of habitats and biodiversity.
The AEF will be participating at this year’s EU-Africa Business Summit. Organised by European Business Summits to promote the voices of enterprises in Europe and Africa, the Summit will provide the perfect environment for engaging debates, high-level panel discussions and inspiring sharing and steering sessions. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss the future of the economic relations between the EU and Africa in the prestigious setting of the Palais d’Egmont.
The Africa-Europe Foundation will be present at the 2022 Africa Energy Forum in Brussels, on the 22nd. The AEF will have the pleasure of facilitating a roundtable of high-level political representatives of the EU, Africa, and of the business and finance sector. The session is titled 'Road to COP27: High-level EU-Africa closed-door roundtable on energy transitions - working together to reach SDG7 and create the enabling conditions to reach net-zero.' This roundtable will take place from 2:30pm to 5pm, and is co-hosted by the European Commission and the European Energy Network.
The European Development Days will offer the AEF an opportunity to advance a vision of partnerships between Africa and Europe that will lead to a healthier, just, and more prosperous future for all. In addition to hosting a stand at the EDD Global Village, the AEF will be participating in events on green infrastructure investments, the Global Gateway, and Digitalization & Resilience.
On June 20, the Africa-Europe Foundation will be joining the Friends of Europe Making Space Matter Summit for a Talking Africa-Europe special dialogue on the importance of including Africa in discussions about space. Space exploration, capacity, competition, infrastructure and its role as a new market will prove to be defining issues for our planet over the next decade and beyond. With strengthened collaboration between Europe and Africa, we hope to turn these defining issues into opportunities for the two continents.
The High-Level Group of Personalities will meet on 8 June, 2022 to review the progress of the Foundation to date, and identify strategic opportunities and gaps to address in the months ahead.
The Africa-Europe Foundation will hold its first in-person Women Leaders Network meeting under the patronage of Mary Robinson, Ellen Sirleaf Johnson and Damilola Ogunbiyi, on 19 May, in Kigali, at the margins of the 2022 SEforALL Forum.
Building on the outcomes of the AU-EU Summit and leading up to COP27, the Forum will offer a timely opportunity for the AEF to advance a shared agenda in favour of SDG7 and strengthen Africa-Europe energy cooperation. A just and equitable energy transition and clean cooking solutions will be on high on the agenda, while taking into account the new geopolitical realities in the light of the Ukraine war. The AEF will be represented at the Forum together with its youth delegation.
Dans le cadre de sa présidence de l’Union Européenne, la France va faire du “renforcement du partenariat euro-africain” une de ses priorités du premier semestre 2022. En sa qualité de plus grand partenaire commercial de l’Afrique, ces liens doivent être renforcés pour créer de la valeur ajoutée et de l’emploi.
The debate will touch upon not only the need for effective vaccine equity, only way to ensure a fully efficient fight against the current pandemic, but also the development of local vaccine manufacturing capacity in Africa, in order to ensure long-term security against further pandemics.
This debate will look at the best ways to strengthen intra-continental mobility in Africa, and create accessible routes for regular intercontinental migration.
The debate will address the best ways to take care of ensuring energy transition for all. This debate aims to foster an honest and frank dialogue about the best pathways to energy transition for the two continents and its people, that ensures both access to energy for all and climate concern.
The Charter of the Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF) outlines how Africa and Europe can work together to achieve tangible progress and pave the way for a more equal, prosperous and sustainable shared future.
Friends of Europe is proud to announce the 19th iteration of its annual festival of politics and ideas State of Europe high-level roundtable event: Making sense of transitions in an age of crises: a new social contract for a new era, taking place on Thursday, 27 October, in Brussels. The State of Europe is a fixture and highlight on the European calendar and the reason is simple: it is a place where top leaders from the worlds of politics, business, and civil society from Europe and beyond, connect and offer thought leadership to influence change and the direction of Europe.
Find more information about the Africa-Europe Foundation's mission, work and latest milestones here.
The Africa-Europe Foundation is expanding its reach and impact and seeking to recruit dynamic professionals. We want to build a diverse team who share our values and are passionate about a transformative partnership between Africa and Europe to face the today's most pressing global challenges. Join us and help transform our Africa-Europe dialogue into action at the local and international level.
