The Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the European Parliament (EP) have opened a two-day high-level Parliamentary Meeting at the PAP headquarters under the theme “Renewing Africa–Europe Parliamentary Cooperation in a Changing Global Context.”
Convened ahead of the 7th African Union–European Union Heads of State and Government Summit in Luanda, the Pre-Summit Parliamentary Meeting serves as a strategic platform for joint reflection, consensus-building, and the preparation of shared messages and recommendations to be transmitted to the Summit. It also reaffirms the commitment of both parliaments to a partnership of equals, as underscored in the European Parliament’s October 2025 Resolution on “Renewing the EU–Africa Partnership.”
In his opening remarks, H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira, President of the Pan-African Parliament, stressed that modern partnerships must be balanced and people-centred. “Partnership today cannot be about one side setting the pace while the other follows. True collaboration must be built on mutual priorities, shared ownership, and common progress,” he said. He highlighted energy, digital transformation, infrastructure, education, and health as key areas where investment must deliver tangible benefits to citizens on both continents.
H.E. Mr. Younous Omarjee, Vice-President of the European Parliament, echoed this message, noting the vast potential of the Global Gateway while cautioning against reproducing extractive models of the past. He underscored the need for African priorities to guide investment decisions, particularly in industrialisation, value addition, transparency, and fair benefit-sharing. “Europe’s engagement must be genuinely partnership-driven, not paternalistic; Africa must move from supplier to shareholder in the global economy,” he said.
H.E. Marie-Antoinette Rose Quatre, Chief Executive Officer of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), highlighted governance, accountability, and oversight as essential to shaping equitable investment outcomes. Noting that Africa possesses 65% of the world’s arable land and 30% of known mineral reserves yet retains only 10–15% of the resulting value, she called for investments that support industrialisation, job creation, and Agenda 2063 priorities. She further stressed the importance of parliamentary oversight, peer review, and the establishment of an African Credit Rating Agency to strengthen Africa’s position in global finance.
Representing civil society, Ms. Holy Ranaivozanany, Deputy Executive Director of the Africa Europe Foundation, underscored the need for transformative, co-designed investments. She welcomed progress in the green transition—particularly the Africa-Europe Green Energy Initiative—and emphasised the importance of integrating investments with existing infrastructure plans and measuring their impact.
Mr. Domenico Rosa, Head of Unit at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships, traced the evolution of the Global Gateway initiative from the 2017 AU–EU Summit in Côte d’Ivoire to the 2022 Brussels Summit. He outlined its focus on digital connectivity, climate and energy, transport, education, and health, noting that official development assistance alone is insufficient and must be complemented by institutional and private financing.
During the interactive session on Day One, MPs from Africa and Europe critically examined the Global Gateway initiative to ensure it aligns with Africa’s development priorities. Discussions centred on skills development and retention, technology transfer, industrialisation, value addition, and fair financing. MPs stressed the need for investment flows clearly directed toward strengthening Africa’s sovereignty, industrial growth, and sustainable development. Support for an African Credit Rating Agency, strengthened governance, and equitable utilisation of Africa’s natural resources emerged as key priorities. Legislators also underscored the importance of youth empowerment, innovation, and building win-win partnerships that deliver shared prosperity.
PAP and EP remain central to ensuring that Africa–Europe cooperation is democratic, transparent, and citizen-centred. Their joint engagements reinforce mutual accountability and robust parliamentary oversight rooted in shared values of peace, democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and sustainable development.
This meeting also coincides with the 25th anniversary of the formal Africa–EU Partnership—a timely moment to take stock of progress, confront persistent challenges, and chart a forward-looking partnership aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want.
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