AU-EU summit opens in Luanda with focus on security, trade and reparations

Monday 24th November 2025

by inAfrika Newsroom

The AU-EU summit opened in Luanda on Monday as African and European leaders gathered to reset political and economic ties. The two-day AU-EU summit brings together heads of state and government from both blocs under the theme of multilateralism, solidarity and joint action on shared crises. Leaders will debate security, trade, migration, climate and the AU’s 2025 “Year of Reparations” agenda.

AU-EU summit puts security and trade at the centre

According to the African Union, the AU-EU summit is expected to reaffirm commitments to peace operations, governance reforms and joint responses to conflicts across the Sahel, the Horn and Great Lakes regions. Discussions will also cover migration management, youth employment and digital cooperation, building on earlier senior-officials’ meetings that reviewed progress in the partnership.

In parallel, an AU-EU Business Forum is convening investors, development banks and firms to explore deals in energy, infrastructure, agribusiness, manufacturing and the digital economy. Officials say they want to move beyond aid-heavy relations toward investment-led growth, with more African ownership of value chains and stronger support for the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Why it matters for Africa

The AU-EU summit matters for Africa because it shapes how two major partners share risk, capital and responsibility in a turbulent global economy. Deals agreed in Luanda could unlock finance for railways, power interconnectors, digital infrastructure and green industries that anchor jobs at home rather than in Europe. The talks also influence migration rules, scholarship opportunities and peace support funding. If African states secure fairer terms on trade, technology transfer and climate finance, this summit can shift the relationship from donor–recipient to one of genuine co-investment and shared accountability.