The African Union–European Union Summit (also known as the Africa–Europe Summit) is a triennial meeting of heads of state and government from the member states of the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU).[1]
History
The institutional partnership between Africa and Europe was formally established in April 2000 during the inaugural Africa-EU Summit held in Cairo, Egypt.[2] At this meeting, leaders adopted the Cairo Declaration, framing a regular dialogue to address geopolitical, economic, and social ties.[1] After the inaugural summit, tensions surrounding human rights, notably involving Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, resulted in several delays in subsequent summits.[3] The dialogue successfully resumed at the second summit in Lisbon in 2007, with the adoption of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy.[4]
List of Summits
The summits traditionally alternate hosting venues between European and African nations:
| No. | Date | City | Country | Host | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3–4 April 2000 | Cairo |  Egypt |
Hosni Mubarak | Cairo Declaration.[2] |
| 2nd | 8–9 December 2007 | Lisbon |  Portugal |
José Sócrates | Adoption of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES).[4] |
| 3rd | 29–30 November 2010 | Tripoli |  Libya |
Muammar Gaddafi | |
| 4th | 2–3 April 2014 | Brussels |  Belgium |
Herman Van Rompuy | |
| 5th | 29–30 November 2017 | Abidjan |  Ivory Coast |
Alassane Ouattara | Focused on investing in youth and demographic shifts.[5] |
| 6th | 17–18 February 2022 | Brussels | Belgium |
Charles Michel | Adopted the "Joint Vision for 2030"; emphasis on Global Gateway investments and post-COVID-19 recovery.[5] |
| 7th | 24–25 November 2025 | Luanda |  Angola |
João Lourenço | Marked the 25th anniversary of the formal partnership.[6] |
See Also
References
- "Strengthened partnership with Africa". Legislative Train Schedule. European Parliament. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
- "IGAD Regional Migration Policy Framework". International Organization for Migration. 2012. p. 52. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
- Barroso defends decision to invite Mugabe to conference Archived 2007-12-08 at the Wayback Machine, The Independent, 7 December 2007
- "Africa-Europe summit concludes with mixed results". Wikinews. December 10, 2007. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
- "Sixth European Union - African Union Summit: A Joint Vision for 2030". ReliefWeb. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. February 18, 2022. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
- "European Union-African Union summit, 24-25 November 2025". Consilium. European Council. November 25, 2025. Retrieved June 27, 2026.