2025-2 EU Society 7th Session November 13, 2025 > EU Society at KUGSIS

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The seventh session lead by Nana Yaw Kwakye examined the evolution of Africa–Europe relations, tracing their transformation from early contact to a modern strategic partnership. It began by outlining European engagement in Africa from the 15th century, when Portuguese traders arrived along the West African coast, followed by the trans-Atlantic slave trade and colonial expansion that prioritized the extraction of human and natural resources while largely disregarding African societies and cultures. The discussion highlighted the significance of the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885, which formalized the partition of Africa among European powers and created artificial borders that contributed to long-term conflict and instability, leaving only Ethiopia and Liberia independent by 1914. The session then explored how the post–World War II independence movements reshaped Africa–Europe relations, leading to new frameworks of cooperation such as the Yaoundé and Lomé Agreements, which marked a gradual shift from aid-based engagement toward political and economic partnership. In its contemporary focus, the session discussed the AU–EU Partnership Framework and the Joint Vision for 2030, emphasizing shared priorities including peace and security, sustainable development, and mutual prosperity. The role of the European Union as a key trading partner and investor was also highlighted, along with initiatives such as the Global Gateway, peace and security support, migration and climate cooperation, and the Samoa Agreement, all of which aim to promote human rights, democracy, inclusive growth, and environmental sustainability within a more balanced and cooperative Africa–Europe relationship.