Berlin Africa Forum

ECFR is launching a series of high-level convenings, with a view to defining a shared concept of the Africa-Europe strategic partnership in the emerging new global order

29 September 2022, 17:30 – 30 September 2022, 15:00 , Berlin time (CEST, UTC+2)

Humboldt Carré, Behrenstraße 42, 10117 Berlin

African and European views of the new global order

Global power has been in a process of re-balancing and with that shift challenges to the post-1989 order have been mounting. The war in Ukraine acts as a caesura, compelling Europe to confront the uncomfortable reality that the post-1989 order was both a function of Western power and its principles far from universal.

By trying to rally Africa to its side in confronting Russia, Europe unintentionally created a litmus test for the post-1989 order standing in Africa. Many in Africa did not perceive Russia’s action as a challenge to a global order that it felt mutual ownership of.

Opening Plenary

As Europe grapples with its role in the emerging global order, there is a new opportunity to forge a strategic relationship between Africa and Europe. To do that, Europe needs to engage with Africa’s views on the post-1989 order and where Africa situates itself going forward. Where Europe signaled openness to Africa’s view before, the fundamental re-assessment of Europe’s assumption of global order occasioned by the Ukraine war creates a new openness and indeed an opportunity for Africa and Europe to forge a new consensus.

What needs to happen for Africa to buy-in to a new emerging global order? How can that new consensus be built? In which areas of the relationship? How can they be defined?

Closing Plenary

Summarizing the four Policy Salon conclusions and applying these to next steps in forging a shared African and European view of global order.

What is the ECFR Berlin Africa Forum?

ECFR is launching a series of high-level convenings, with a view to defining a shared concept of the Africa-Europe strategic partnership in the emerging new global order. These convenings will be partnership efforts with European and African partners. Alternating between Europe and Africa, the first convening will take place in Berlin around the G7 September Civil Society Africa meetings. Following that, the next session will move to Africa and take place under the auspices of the Tana Forum; the premier African Forum, on October 14-16.

It is our pleasure to be organising the first ECFR Berlin Africa Forum in partnership with the European Union Delegation to the African Union and the Tana Forum.

The Forum is generously supported by our strategic partner, the Robert Bosch Stiftung. ECFR thanks the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for their ongoing support to the ECFR Africa programme, which made the first convening of the Berlin Africa Forum possible as well as to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway for their kind contribution to the first high-level convening.

Agenda

Opening Plenary: Africa, Europe, and the emerging global order: 29 September 2022, 17:30 – 18:45, Berlin time (CEST, UTC+2)

Speakers

Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner, Political Affairs, Peace and Security, AU Commission
Helena König, Deputy Secretary-General for Economic and Global Issues, European External Action Service
Jennifer Lee Morgan, State Secretary and Special Envoy for International Climate Action, German Federal Foreign Office
Theodore Murphy, Africa Programme Director, ECFR

Chaired by

Chris Maroleng, Executive Director, Good Governance Africa

Closing Plenary: 30 September 2022, 14:30 – 15:00, Berlin Time (CEST, UTC+2)