#RoadtoLuanda25: Africa-Europe Rising

• 2025 is a tipping point for international cooperation. A historic moment for Africa and Europe to step up together. Shared challenges require shared leadership.
• The Angola Summit of November 2025 (marking 25 Years of the AU-EU Partnership) is a defining opportunity for a new model of partnership – transformative, forward-looking, win/win … a complete shift of paradigm in development-cooperation.

• An inspiring, strategic and unifying outreach initiative and call to action, anchored by November 2025’s AU-EU Summit in Angola.
• An umbrella platform for diverse actors to contribute meaningfully and catalyse engagement before, during and post-Summit including through untapped voices and strategic topics of cooperation.
• An initiative anchored by data, inclusive dialogue, youth leadership and a narrative shift.
• A call that rallies diverse stakeholders (from youth to high-officials of the AU/EU), speaks to a real partnership and equality between Africa and Europe, inspires unity and connects a wide array of initiatives under one umbrella, and builds toward a transformative moment in November 2025.

In a context of global transformation - geopolitical shifts, a new context for multilateralism in 2025, climate and digital transitions, youth movements - the Africa-Europe Partnership has the potential to act as a stabilising force, a multiplier of progress.

Over the past 25 years the Partnership has demonstrated its ability to deliver and its potential to achieve even more. In an era of shared challenges (climate, pandemics, economic strains, insecurity) shared leadership is required.

The 7th AU-EU Summit in Angola is a defining opportunity for a new model of cooperation - transformative, forward-looking and win-win.
AEF is working with partners to facilitate constructive dialogue and inspire action on strategic topics that will propel the partnership forward.

July 2025

• AEF at the Financing for Development International Conference (30 June to 3 July 2025)
  High-Level closed-door sessions with AU/EU leaders of Finance and Foreign Affairs plus initiatives with the AEF Think-Tank platform on Rethinking Financing for Development (DRM, Illicit Financial Flows, Carbon Markets, Blue Finance).

August 2025

• AEF at the 45th SADC Summit (16-17 August 2025).
  In the framework of AEF’s MoU with Madagascar to reinforce the Global Africa-Europe dimension of its SADC Presidency and support the follow-up to the Summit in preparation of the 7th AU-EU Summit.

• International Youth Day (12 August 2025).
  AEF’s annual engagement for International Youth Day provides a platform for the Awards Scheme and connections among Africa and European youth platforms ahead of the Summit.

September 2025

• AEF at the African Climate Summit (8-10 September).
  Leveraging AEF’s role as a technical partner for ACS2, the Summit will provide the platform for the global launch of new Africa-Europe research publications supported through the AEF Research Facility.Both the AUC and Government of Ethiopia have confirmed their support to provide platforms for the research launch. AEF will also organise a special dialogue on the road from Addis Climate Summit to Angola.

• AEF at UNGA80 (22-24 September).
  Our annual UNGA programming will focus this year on peace and security, beginning with the AEF Women Leaders Forum organised in cooperation with Ireland and the Office of the UN Deputy SG; and followed by a series of public convenings with strategic partners (The Elders, Foreign Policy, Pandemic Action Network, Foundation S, Collective Minds Climate x Health Council…) on the topics of peace & security and investment.

• AEF at Mondiacult (29 September).
  Launch of the Africa-Europe joint research on Skills Foresight and Cultural Cooperation, supported through the AEF Research Facility, in partnership with the Union for the Mediterranean.

October 2025

• AEF partnership on the Africa Think Tank Summit (7–10 October).
  As a partner to the Summit, in cooperation with the African Capacity Building Foundation, AEF will support in framing the agenda in light of the 7th AU-EU Summit, bringing together its network of think tanks and Research Facility leaders. AEF’s focus will be on strengthening the Europe-Africa dimension (including facilitating the engagement of research leaders from its joint Africa-Europe research) and leveraging the Summit thinking for the preparation of the AU-EU Summit.

• AEF High-Level Group & State of Africa-Europe (9-10 October).
  The second biannual HLG meeting, coinciding with the Global Gateway Forum, focused on the 7th AU-EU Summit. The HLG will mark the global launch of the ‘State of Africa-Europe Report 2025’.

• Launch of the AU-EU Finance Ministers’ Platform (13-14 October).
  To be co-led by Ireland and South Africa, a convening of AU/EU Finance Ministers in a unique closed-door space (on the occasion of the WB/IMF Annual Meetings). This has been timed in preparation of both the G20 Summit in South Africa and AU-EU Summit (November 2025) and the preparation of the Irish Presidency of the European Council (overseeing the adoption of the next phase of EU long-term financing).

November 2025

• AEF at the One Sustainable Health for All Forum (2-5 November).
  AEF as secretariat to the Collective Minds Council (first think tank dedicated to climate-health), in partnership with Foundation S, will lead conversations on global health in preparation of the AU-EU Summit (with partners including the French government, AUDA-NEPAD, WHO, Africa CDC, EU Commission).

• AEF at the 30th UN Climate Change Conference (10-21 November).
  As Observer to COP, AEF will leverage its 2025 programme to make the needed connection between the Africa Climate Summit, COP30 and the AU-EU Summit, on the dimension of climate-development and sustainable finance.

• AEF at the G20 Summit (22-23 November).
  As lead advisor to the G20 Presidency on the finance/tax work-stream, AEF has been invited to plan a special Africa-Europe Symposium in cooperation with South Africa that, in turn, will contribute directly to the AU-EU Summit in Luanda (with a focus on Sustainable Finance).

• AEF at the 7th AU-EU Summit (24-25 November).
  African Union and European Union leaders will convene in Angola this November for a landmark Summit aimed at deepening Africa–Europe cooperation. The gathering not only charts the future of the partnership but also commemorates 25 years of cross-continental collaboration. AEF’s presence at the Summit will mark the culmination of our engagements throughout the #RoadtoLuanda25 journey.

December 2025

• AEF at 5 (2 December).
  The occasion of the 5th Anniversary of AEF is an opportunity to revisit its founding charter and analyse where the overall AU-EU Partnership is (post Angola), and both celebrate and evaluate a journey since 2020 which has opened up the Partnership to new voices, ideas, thinking and ways of working.