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The Summits of Heads of States and Governments take place traditionally every three years alternately in Africa and Europe. These Summits take stock of the progress made in the implementation of commitments and provide political guidance for further work.

AU-EU Summit 2017

The 5th African Union-European Union Summit was held on 29-30 November in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. Under the central theme "Investing in youth for a sustainable future", African and European Heads of State and Government gathered together with the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, the President of the African Union and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

5th AU-EU Summit: Investing in Youth for a Sustainable Future

Previous Summits

1st Africa-Europe Summit, Cairo, Egypt, 2000

The 1st Africa-Europe Summit took place in Cairo on 3-4 April 2000, under the aegis of the OAU and the EU. It was the first meeting at the continental level between European and African leaders. With the adoption in the Cairo Declaration and its Action plan, Leaders expressed their commitment to come together to give a new strategic dimension to the global partnership between Africa and Europe, in a spirit of equality, respect, alliance and cooperation.

2nd EU-Africa Summit, Lisbon, Portugal, 2007

The 2nd EU-Africa Summit took place in Lisbon on 9 December 2007. The Heads of State and Governments of Africa and the EU adopted the first ever Joint Africa-EU Strategy and an Action Plan for 2008-2010, with the aim to put Africa-EU relations on a new and equal footing in order to address together the challenges and opportunities of common interest.

List of side events (Lisbon, Portugal):

  • Europe-Africa Trade Union Summit, 26-27 October 2007
  • Europe-Africa civil society forum, 15-17 November 2007
  • Africa-Europe Youth Summit, 4-7 December 2007
  • NGO Forum on Human Rights, 6-7 December 2007
  • EP/PAP Inter-parliamentary meeting, 7 December 2007
  • EU-Africa Business Summit, 7-8 December 2007
  • Meeting of the Delegation of European and African Mayors, 7 December 2007
  • Alternative Summit ‘Afrique-Europe alternatives’, 7-9 December 2007

3rd Africa-EU Summit, November 2010, Tripoli, Libya

The 3rd Africa-EU Summit took place on 29-30 November in Tripoli, Libya. The Heads of State and Governments of Africa and the EU adopted the "Tripoli declaration", and an Action Plan for 2011-2013, (re)committing to seize together new opportunities for broader and mutually beneficial initiatives. The declaration reflected the determinacy to progress in the identified priority areas of cooperation and towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals in Africa.

List of side events (Tripoli, Libya):

  • EU-Africa Business Forum (EABF), 26-27-28 November 2010
  • Parliamentary pre-summit, 27 November 2010
  • Africa-EU Youth Event, 26-27-28 November 2010
  • Urban Exhibition of Contemporary African Artistic Practices: Visionary Africa, November 2010 in Tripoli, Libya, in January 2011 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in February-March 2011 in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
  • Conference on higher education, 23-24 November 2010 (Cape Town, South Africa).
  • High Level Conference on Better Training for Safer Food (BTSF), 18-19 November 2010 (Brussels, Belgium).
  • Euro-Africa Week on ICT Research & e-Infrastructures, 7-10 December (Helsinki, Finland).
  • Intercontinental civil society forum
  • Trade Unions Summit

4th EU-Africa Summit, April 2014, Brussels, Belgium

The 4th EU-Africa Summit was held on 2 &3 April 2014 in Brussels, Belgium, under the theme "Investing in People, Prosperity and Peace". The Heads of State and Governments of Africa and the EU adopted the "Brussels Declaration" and a Roadmap for 2014-2017, with the objective of addressing common challenges and bringing concrete benefits to citizens of both continents in accordance with the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES).

List of associated events to the Summit (Brussels, Belgium):

List of side and preparatory events: