AU, EU leaders commit to closer cooperation at Luanda summit

LUANDA - African and European leaders on Tuesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation in peace and security, development, climate action and migration at the 7th African Union-European Union Summit held in Luanda.

Closing the two-day meeting, African Union Chairperson and Angolan President Joao Lourenco said discussions reflected a shared willingness to deepen dialogue and advance practical cooperation between the two continents.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU's Global Gateway initiative, which has mobilized more than 120 billion euros (about 138.8 billion US dollars) in investment for Africa since its launch three years ago, aims to support local job creation, value-chain development, and strategic industries including raw-material processing, pharmaceutical production, and regional energy interconnections.

According to the summit's joint declaration, both sides stressed support for multilateralism, the peaceful settlement of conflicts, and stronger cooperation in areas such as counterterrorism, climate adaptation, green energy, digital transformation, agriculture, and health systems. They also pledged to boost investment, support Africa's industrialization, enhance regional integration, and adopt a balanced approach to migration that expands legal pathways while addressing irregular flows.

A permanent follow-up mechanism will be established to monitor implementation of summit commitments. The next AU-EU Summit will be held in Brussels.