Liberals push for a new era in EU-Africa relations, calling for a partnership built on mutual benefit and shared strategic interests.
Ahead of the RENEWPAC Summit in Morocco, Renew Europe released a new policy paper, Winning Together: A RENEWed EU-Africa Partnership in a Multipolar World. It sets out a vision for stronger and more balanced cooperation.
Although the EU is Africa’s largest trading partner, biggest aid donor and top foreign investor, it is losing ground to China and Russia. Renew Europe has warned that Europe must act decisively to protect its interests and values on the continent.
Both China and Russia pursue assertive influence strategies, including debt-trap economics, mercenary deployments such as the Africa Corps and media acquisitions to spread disinformation and anti-Western propaganda.
Renew Europe has called for a more coherent European response, including strict oversight of Global Gateway to ensure projects deliver genuine value for Africa and Europe, and are not captured by third-party interests.
Jan-Christoph Oetjen MEP (FDP, DE), RENEWPAC Co-President, said:
“A lasting partnership with the African continent can only be built on an equal footing. One way to help one another is through the exchange of skills. We must launch the EU Talent Pool to connect job seekers from African partner countries with EU employers and provide safe and legal pathways to Europe. The barriers for coming to Europe are still too high. We propose one-stop-shops at the local level that provide information on legal migration routes including labour mobility and asylum procedures.”
Hilde Vautmans (Anders, BE), Co-President for the Africa-EU parliamentary assembly emphasised:
“In a world of growing competition and uncertainty, a renewed EU–Africa partnership is our strongest strategic asset. Our futures are intertwined and should be guided by shared interests. By creating a Europe-Africa Industrialisation Pact, we aim to ensure that raw materials are not merely exported, but processed in Africa, creating jobs, industries, and shared prosperity for both Africans and Europeans.”
Central to this vision is the EU-Africa Industrialisation Pact which promotes joint investment in African manufacturing, innovation and digital infrastructure. The Pact aims to empower local actors, strengthen African value chains and create shared prosperity, while securing Europe’s access to sustainable, diversified supply chains.
Renew Europe also called for a single European development agency, EUaid, to replace fragmented national frameworks. With USAID’s suspension triggering a global funding crisis, Europe must speak with one coherent and credible voice on development.
Strengthening support for women’s health is equally urgent. A dedicated budget, with sexual and reproductive rights prioritised in EU development programmes in Africa, is critical as donor withdrawals leave women and girls especially vulnerable.
Renew Europe also urges EU-Africa media partnerships to counter foreign influence. With Russia and China acquiring local outlets and spreading disinformation, building shared democratic resilience across both continents is now a strategic priority.
In a world of growing competition, this vision is about shared prosperity, democratic resilience and strategic influence. It positions Europe to act decisively and partner on equal terms with the continent.