European and African leaders are converging on Luanda this week for a summit meant to strengthen long-strained economic and security ties — though the meeting is unfolding under the long shadow of the war in Ukraine and the political fissures it has exposed.
France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Friedrich Merz, and Kenya’s William Ruto are among the leaders expected at the two-day gathering, which comes as Washington and Europe diverge sharply over a draft U.S. proposal to halt Russia’s invasion. The plan, circulated by President Donald Trump’s team, was initially viewed in European capitals as uncomfortably favourable to Moscow. A revised version was discussed in Geneva on Sunday, prompting EU leaders to call a special huddle on the margins of the Luanda meeting.
“There is still a lot of work to be done on the 28-point plan,” Finland’s President Alexander Stubb cautioned during a stop in Johannesburg.
Even without the geopolitical drama, the summit is a consequential moment for Europe’s relationship with Africa, now marking its 25th year. Once the continent’s undisputed partner of reference, the EU finds itself competing for influence with China’s deep pockets, Russia’s security outreach, the Gulf states’ expanding investments, and Turkey’s growing presence.
Trade between the EU and Africa reached €467 billion last year, still the largest such relationship. But Europe’s position is far from secure. Beijing has secured mineral rights across several nations; Moscow has leveraged security deals into political footholds; and African governments, increasingly aware of their leverage, are demanding more than rhetorical promises.
“Africa is looking not for new declarations but for credible, implementable commitments,” said AU spokesperson Nuur Mohamud Sheekh.
The EU hopes to present such commitments through infrastructure and industrial investments tied to its Global Gateway initiative. Angola hosts one of its marquee projects — the Lobito corridor, a joint EU-U.S. railway effort linking the mineral belts of the DRC and Zambia to the Atlantic. Still, critics say too many projects remain stuck at the concept stage.
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“Investment must move from PowerPoint to the factory floor,” noted Ikemesit Effiong of SBM Intelligence. “Europe’s credibility now depends on whether it can deliver value in Africa, not just visibility for Brussels.”
Migration, security cooperation, and Africa’s place in global governance will also feature prominently. But trade — and the minerals that underpin Europe’s green transition — may ultimately anchor the conversations, even as Ukraine remains the unspoken guest at the table.