AFRICAN-EUROPEAN RELATIONS AND THE REVEALING CASE OF SAHEL
*** FULLY BOOKED! ***
Venue:
French Embassy
Technikerstrasse 2, 1040 Vienne
AFRICAN-EUROPEAN RELATIONS AND THE REVEALING CASE OF SAHEL.
A necessary reappraisal?
The last summit between the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) in 2022 provoked mixed feelings. Europeans left rather satisfied, while Africans - disappointed by Europe's unfulfilled promises - emphasised that the continent now has other partners, ranging from China and Russia to Turkey and India. Europe is therefore no longer the only influential player in Africa.
While the AU and the EU have still not found a date for their next summit, the challenges in Africa are increasing in the face of economic growth and insecurity. The instability on the continent is due to internal factors; with a dynamic, entrepreneurial and connected youth that is, however, vulnerable to manipulation on social networks and increasingly questioning the corruption of the elites and the „Western“ model of democracy. The instability is also a result of international crises - in Ukraine and the Middle East - climate change, increasing terrorism and the spread of anti-Western narratives, especially by Russia.
To overcome these challenges, Europe needs to rethink its approach to security, counter-terrorism and humanitarian aid, as well as its approach to governance and economic co-operation. Stability comes through improved access to water, electricity and infrastructure as well as a solid legal framework to attract investors, which can reduce emigration to Europe. However, the influence of China, Africa's largest trading partner, and Russia, which is present in Mali, Niger and the Democratic Republic of Congo, complicates the situation, even though the EU has stepped up its engagement in Africa in response, e.g. with the Global Gateway programme. This event aims to shed light on these challenges, provide impetus on how the EU can adapt its security strategy and explore the specific role that France and Austria can play in this competitive geopolitical context.
Greeting:
Matthieu Peyraud, Ambassador of the Republic of France to Austria
Dietmar Schweisgut, Secretary General of the Austrian-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe
Discussion:
Niagalé Bagayoko, President and Chairwoman of the African Security Sector Network
Babacar Ndiaye, Senior Researcher at the Timbuktu Institute, Dakar
Alain Antil, Researcher and Director of the Centre for Sub-Saharan Africa at the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI)
Markus Reiterer, Head of the West Africa Division at the Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe and International Affairs
Moderation
Stéphane Gompertz, Deputy Director of the Institut Afrique Monde
Conclusion:
Georg Lennkh, Member of the Board of the Bruno Kreisky Forum
The event will be held in French with simultaneous translation into German.
In co-operation with