EU and Africa celebrate 25 years of partnership

Leaders from across Europe and Africa came together in late November to commemorate a landmark moment: 25 years since the first Africa-Europe Summit in Cairo. Heads of state and government from the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) convened for the 7th AU-EU Summit in Luanda, Angola, to renew and deepen a partnership grounded in peace, prosperity, sustainable development and shared opportunity.

The European Union remains Africa’s top trading and investment partner, underpinned by a stable and rules-based framework that makes the EU a reliable and trusted counterpart for long-term economic cooperation. Africa is the EU’s fourth-largest trading partner, and over the past decade EU–Africa trade has grown by 30%, while EU investment stocks on the continent have increased by 13%. Today, 44 African countries benefit from duty-free access to the EU market, with 97% of African exports entering the EU without paying any tariffs.

"The EU is one of Namibia’s top trading partners, with the SADC–EU Economic Partnership Agreement enabling duty- and quota-free access to the EU market. We will be hosting a new EU–Namibia Business Forum in early 2026 in Windhoek to further drive diversification, value addition and inclusive growth," a statement following the summit read.

- STAFF REPORTER