Luanda, Angola – African Union Commission Chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf opened the 7th AU-EU Summit on Monday with a direct appeal to European leaders, calling for deeper cooperation on digital transformation and warning against a “narrow-minded” retreat into protectionism and selfishness.
Speaking at the summit’s opening ceremony in Luanda, Youssouf stressed that Africa urgently needs massive investment in innovation, technology, artificial intelligence, and the broader digital economy. He pointed out that China and the United States are already pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into AI development while Africa remains severely under-resourced. “Developing together will certainly be more beneficial to all of us,” he said, “instead of the narrow-minded positioning in terms of protectionism and also selfishness.”
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded by acknowledging that the global environment has grown harsher since the previous summit in 2022, yet insisted that ties between Europe and Africa have only strengthened. She highlighted that Europe remains Africa’s largest trading partner and investor, with €240 billion in investments recorded in 2023 alone — a figure she believes can grow significantly.
“This continent has everything it takes to deliver prosperity at home and to shape the global economy of tomorrow,” von der Leyen said, noting that Africa possesses 60% of the world’s best solar resources, vast critical mineral deposits, and the youngest population on earth. She agreed with Youssouf that the missing ingredient is capital: “Africa has everything in terms of natural resources and human resources, and now needs capital to achieve more.”
The two-day summit, co-chaired by Angolan President João Lourenço (current AU Chairperson) and European Council President António Costa, marks the 25th anniversary of formal AU-EU partnership and coincides with the 50th anniversary of independence for Angola and several other African nations. Nearly 80 heads of state and government attended, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Key themes dominating discussions include economic integration, green energy, digitalization, and human capital development. Leaders are exploring how Europe’s €300 billion Global Gateway initiative — of which €150 billion is earmarked for Africa through 2027 — can accelerate renewable energy projects, expand broadband access, and support African AI and tech startups.
Africa currently captures only about 1–1.5% of global AI spending despite having the world’s fastest-growing youth population. Meanwhile, the continent accounts for just 1% of installed solar capacity and attracts only 2% of worldwide clean-energy investment, even though regions such as the Sahara receive up to 3,000 hours of sunshine per year.
Von der Leyen emphasized joint opportunities in green hydrogen, large-scale solar farms, and critical-mineral processing, areas where European capital and technology could combine with African resources and labor to create millions of jobs. Recent EU pledges include hundreds of millions of euros for renewable energy scaling and digital connectivity across the continent.
On the African side, leaders are pushing for regulatory alignment, reduced trade barriers, and more support for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which the EU has backed with over €1.2 billion. They argue that protectionist measures — such as Europe’s carbon border adjustment mechanism — risk stifling African growth and contradict the spirit of equal partnership.
Youth and civil-society voices, amplified at pre-summit events, demanded that new investments reach beyond capital cities and established hubs in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and Egypt, where 83% of Africa’s AI startup funding is currently concentrated.
As the summit continues, participants are working toward concrete outcomes expected to be announced on November 25, including expanded commitments under Global Gateway for AI infrastructure, rural broadband, and renewable energy projects. Analysts describe the Luanda gathering as a potential turning point in shifting the AU-EU relationship from traditional donor-recipient dynamics to a genuine partnership of equals.
With the world facing heightened geopolitical uncertainty, climate urgency, and rapid technological change, both sides appear determined to prove that Africa and Europe can build shared prosperity — provided Europe chooses open collaboration over inward-looking policies and Africa seizes the capital and expertise now on offer.
