The Africa programme analyses the geopolitics of the Africa-Europe relationship. In particular, the programme delves into relations between the African Union and the European Union to find creative foreign policy tools and strategies. It also focuses on two regions that are particularly relevant for Europe: the Horn of Africa and the Sahel.
Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Togo face a double threat—from jihadists creeping south from the Sahel and coup plotters lurking within. As northern borders buckle, the region could slip into instability and away from Europe’s reach
The EU and South Africa should accept political differences and pursue a pragmatic partnership, mutually strengthening economic and climate ties—using South Africa’s energy transition as the decisive test of this balance
The EU’s high ESG standards are strangling investment in Africa’s mining sector. A phased, realistic approach could unlock much-needed resources
Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Togo face a double threat—from jihadists creeping south from the Sahel and coup plotters lurking within. As northern borders buckle, the region could slip into instability and away from Europe’s reach
European investment in Africa should focus on climate-smart business. This will develop the continent’s resilient infrastructure, secure job creation and support sustainable food systems—while strengthening Europe’s hand amid geopolitical turbulence
As Africa becomes an increasingly central arena for Russia’s interests, the role of the United States and China is undergoing significant transformation. With Trump’s return…
The EU and South Africa should accept political differences and pursue a pragmatic partnership, mutually strengthening economic and climate ties—using South Africa’s energy transition as the decisive test of this balance
The EU’s high ESG standards are strangling investment in Africa’s mining sector. A phased, realistic approach could unlock much-needed resources
Europe has positioned its high environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards as central to its global partnerships, particularly in efforts to develop sustainable critical raw…
This ECFR project maps the Red Sea region as a nexus of conflict, regional rivalries and global power plays. To address the risks of this instability, Europeans need to develop a more comprehensive approach
Al-Shabab is regaining strength in Somalia amid obstacles with the latest peacekeeping mission—just as external partners seek to move away from costly interventions. But there is a path forward
Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have soured since the war in Tigray ended in 2022. The region is now a tinderbox for conflict: Europeans need to intervene and pull the various opposing factions back from the brink
Far away from the battlefronts in Ukraine, Russia has been busy charming African capitals to support its invasion. Ukraine is facing a harsh geopolitical awakening
Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Togo face a double threat—from jihadists creeping south from the Sahel and coup plotters lurking within. As northern borders buckle, the region could slip into instability and away from Europe’s reach
The EU and South Africa should accept political differences and pursue a pragmatic partnership, mutually strengthening economic and climate ties—using South Africa’s energy transition as the decisive test of this balance
The EU’s high ESG standards are strangling investment in Africa’s mining sector. A phased, realistic approach could unlock much-needed resources
Al-Shabab is regaining strength in Somalia amid obstacles with the latest peacekeeping mission—just as external partners seek to move away from costly interventions. But there is a path forward
Russia’s re-entrenchment in Libya, Europe’s soft underbelly, offers profound lessons on how it exploits geopolitical instability—and how Europeans can push back
The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are making geoeconomic inroads into sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in energy and climate. This could affect Europe’s African interests
Drone warfare is increasing in Ethiopia and across Africa. These foreign-supplied weapons risk prolonging wars and can help drive governments further away from the West
The prospect of a divided Sudan is gaining traction among local and regional actors, threatening to further destabilise an already fragile region. European policymakers must act swiftly to arrest this dangerous slide
European countries want to secure supplies of African critical raw materials. To achieve this, they must increasingly meet locally set requirements that channel benefits into local economies in Africa
The EU faces a massive uphill struggle to secure critical raw material supply chains – and its efforts may even be undermining the bloc’s de-risking objectives by indirectly helping Chinese companies
European investment in Africa should focus on climate-smart business. This will develop the continent’s resilient infrastructure, secure job creation and support sustainable food systems—while strengthening Europe’s hand amid geopolitical turbulence
Relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea have soured since the war in Tigray ended in 2022. The region is now a tinderbox for conflict: Europeans need to intervene and pull the various opposing factions back from the brink
Far away from the battlefronts in Ukraine, Russia has been busy charming African capitals to support its invasion. Ukraine is facing a harsh geopolitical awakening
The EU and South Africa are fresh off the back of their first mutual summit in seven years. Pretoria remains committed to its policy of strategic ambiguity, while the EU took the chance to further its green and industrial ambitions via a new partnership model
An unstable Horn of Africa spells major trouble for Europe. The EU should take the reins in the Western response to counter the fallout from the aid withdrawal
Congo stands on the brink of being at the centre of a devastating new regional war. Europe should act in its own self-interest to avert further humanitarian catastrophe
Europe can help stabilise the Horn of Africa with a daunting project: a commercial corridor in Somalia that allows Ethiopia access to the sea
Chad and Senegal recently announced the end of their historic defence agreements with France. Now France should hand over its remaining military bases in Africa and work towards a more forward-thinking cooperation model
Russia’s veto of a UN resolution to protect Sudanese civilians highlights the deadly consequences of great-power competition. As Sudan faces a catastrophic man-made humanitarian crisis, European efforts must prioritise local initiatives to safeguard vulnerable populations
During his first presidency, Donald Trump’s Africa policy was defined by a series of gaffs and confused foreign policy decisions. His re-election is a wake-up call to European governments that building a strong relationship with the world’s fastest-growing continent is more vital than ever
This ECFR project maps the Red Sea region as a nexus of conflict, regional rivalries and global power plays. To address the risks of this instability, Europeans need to develop a more comprehensive approach
This project maps African regional initiatives in west and central Africa and provides a data-based and a geographical overview of the ‘à la carte’ nature of African regional cooperation
Violence is tearing Mali and the Sahel apart. But who are the armed groups behind the bloodshed? Where are international actors stationed in the region? And what motivates them all?
Mark Leonard welcomes Will Brown, Jonas Horner, and Raga Makawi to discuss the EU’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan
In the first big multilateral test for prime minister Giorgia Meloni, this mini-series will explore the four main priorities of Italy’s 2024 G7 presidency: Ukraine, AI, infrastructure, and Africa
Mark Leonard welcomes Cinzia Bianco and Theodore Murphy to discuss the crisis in the Red Sea and its escalation potential
Jeremy Shapiro welcomes Adebayo Olukoshi, Brian Kagoro, and Theodore Murphy to talk about Africa and the global order
Mark Leonard is joined by Theodore Murphy, Julien Barnes-Dacey and Marie Dumoulin to talk about Sudan
Mark Leonard is joined by Comfort Ero to learn more about the Nigerian perspective on global order
What does the end of Operation Barkhane in its current form mean for the Sahel?
What are the regional implications of the Tigray conflict and the prospects for transatlantic cooperation around the issue?
Where do we stand now in building a “strategic partnership” between the European and African continent?
As Africa becomes an increasingly central arena for Russia’s interests, the role of the United States and China is undergoing significant transformation. With Trump’s return…
Europe has positioned its high environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards as central to its global partnerships, particularly in efforts to develop sustainable critical raw…
Drawing on insights from a recent ECFR policy brief, “Diversification nations: The Gulf way to engage with Africa“, this event aims to explore the…
The catastrophe in Sudan is now accelerating into dizzying levels of complexity and violence. Millions could die of famine this year, but there seems to be no end in…
Growing global demand for the critical minerals needed for green energy and other technologies presents an opportunity for mineral-rich African countries like Zambia to expand…
At a moment of intensifying global disorder and increasing respective challenges, ECFR’s Africa-Europe Forum provides a platform for an open and…
The EU has set on a course of diversification from its main provider of critical minerals and several of its manufactured products, China. To secure…
Africa’s growing prominence in global geopolitics and geoeconomics presents a landscape of both exciting opportunities and critical challenges for the continent and its international partners
Il tema di questa edizione de Il Circolo dell’ECFR sarà focalizzato sul ruolo degli Emirati Arabi Uniti in Africa. Mentre i leader europei riflettono sul…
As Europe endeavours to reduce its reliance on China for critical raw materials and the technologies they enable, efforts to boost European investment in mining…
Italy and the EU can look to the Gulf – increasingly engaged with Africa – as a partner in shaping a multilayered framework of cooperation with institutions like the African Development Bank
Maddalena Procopio and Corrado Čok on multi-level cooperation between Italy, the Gulf and Africa
Their key focus is on the Sahel region, on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, where a series of coups has brought pro-Russian strongmen to power
Will Brown on Russia wanting to present itself in Africa as a counterweight to the US and Europe
