As competition from China, Russia, and the United States intensifies and the war in Iran disrupts the Middle East’s energy supply, Europe is gradually shifting away from traditional development aid models in favor of partnerships based on mutual interests with Africa.
This restructuring opens up both internal and external opportunities, according to Lazarus Chakwera, former president of Malawi.
“As we develop, what was suitable yesterday may no longer be today. That’s why it’s necessary to have an ongoing conversation to determine the best way forward to make it a win-win situation,” he stated.
He emphasizes that this new approach should unfold on multiple levels, pointing out that intra-European exchanges far exceed those between African countries.
“We believe that economic integration on the continent should be encouraged as much as we have bilateral agreements with nations outside this continent,” he continued.
“Therefore, when it comes to free trade on the continent, we need to find ways to facilitate the swifter implementation of these agreements,” he added.
EU banks on African gas to secure imports
Amid escalating rivalries, several European officials believe it is necessary to thoroughly rethink the relationship with Africa to avoid losing influence.
“I believe we need to reconsider our policy with African countries today and move away from this outdated development aid policy that does not take into account real-world realities,” said Younous Omarjee, a French MEP from the Left Party and Vice President of the European Parliament.
Speaking at the Africa Political Outlook forum in Brussels, he emphasized the need for Europe to clearly assert its interests, stating that “the development and prosperity of the African continent determine the development and prosperity of Europe.”
Energy is a major focus of this repositioning. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe has significantly reshaped its sources of energy supply.
Towards the end of traditional aid era
These initiatives come at a time when European influence in West Africa is waning, following a series of coups between 2020 and early 2026 in Mali, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Gabon, Niger, Guinea-Bissau, and Madagascar.
For decades, Europe has been a partner to Africa, providing development aid and shaping governance frameworks.
However, according to the African Political Outlook’s report “The State of African Governance: Forces of the Future,” this approach belongs to the past.
Mouctar Bah, president of the Brussels-Africa Hub, believes that European policymakers are slow to grasp the ongoing changes.
“People are still living in the past. They don’t see the future,” he said.
In 2024, EU-Africa trade amounted to 355 billion euros, with the EU remaining Africa’s top trading partner, closely followed by China, according to EU data.
The EU has signed six economic partnership agreements with 15 sub-Saharan African countries and four association agreements with North African countries.
Isabelle Herbert-Collet, a market expert, believes the new approach should focus more on local anchoring.
“It’s not just about investments, but also about envisioning the right products and services and facilitating intercultural exchanges,” she concluded.
