Madagascar and the Africa-Europe Foundation Announce Partnership to Boost AU-EU Cooperation

Brussels, 22 May 2025 – The Government of Madagascar and the Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF) have announced a multi-year partnership agreement on the occasion of the European Union-African Union Foreign Ministers’ meeting. This agreement marks a significant step in strengthening Africa-Europe cooperation ahead of the next AU-EU Summit, with Madagascar also set to assume the Chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc later this year.

Photo caption: Rafaravavitafika Rasata, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Madagascar (Right) and Paul Walton, Executive Director of the Africa-Europe Foundation (Left).

Together, Madagascar and the Africa-Europe Foundation will focus their cooperation on:

• Facilitating the implementation of existing AU-EU policy commitments and the technical preparations of the upcoming AU-EU Summit by leveraging AEF’s research capabilities, commitment-tracking toolbox, and multistakeholder platforms.
• Reaffirming Madagascar’s leadership role as the champion country for the first Africa-Europe Ocean Roadmap, including during its upcoming chairmanship of the SADC and throughout the preparations and follow-up of the 7th AU-EU Summit.
• Promoting the visibility of Africa-Europe cooperation in the multilateral arena and unlocking cross-continental cooperation in critical sectors, from digital technology, energy and infrastructure to green minerals, carbon markets, and the blue economy.

Rafaravavitafika Rasata, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Madagascar, stated at the partnership launch: "We are delighted to deepen our cooperation with the Africa-Europe Foundation, a unique platform bringing together committed stakeholders from both continents. Together, we aim to play a driving role in this new chapter of the AU-EU partnership — delivering tangible results, leveraging existing mechanisms to ensure effective follow-up and implementation of our shared priorities, and intensifying our collaboration at the critical nexus of climate and development."

Paul Walton, Executive Director of the Africa-Europe Foundation, added: “Working in partnership and focusing on impact is in the DNA of the Africa-Europe Foundation, and will underpin our long-term collaboration with Madagascar. By choosing to reinforce cooperation in sectors such ‘Ocean and Blue Economy’- areas rich in potential for mutual learning and a win/win partnership - we aim to provide an operational blueprint for a paradigm shift in development-cooperation and for a new chapter of Africa-Europe”.

The multi-annual partnership agreement is structured around an initial four-year phase, anchored by the preparation of the 7th African Union-European Union Summit in 2025.