CONCORD has endorsed a statement by a group of African and European civil society and youth organisations working as the Africa-Europe Joint Civil Society Engagement Team. The group aims to establish a structured and permanent mechanism for civil society and youth engagement within the AU-EU Partnership, based on principles of transparency, equal participation, accessibility, and inclusion.
In addition to laying the groundwork for this Engagement Mechanism as a follow-up to the 6th EU-AU summit which took place in February 2022, the group has been active in regularly convening and creating a space for civil society and youth from both continents to exchange and to speak with a common voice on issues that are at the heart of the partnership.
In light of the two-year anniversary of the summit and looking towards the upcoming joint Foreign Ministers meeting in May, we share the statement on key issues in the AU-EU Partnership. It builds upon previous joint positions developed by African and European civil society and tackles aspects of the partnership between the African Union and the European Union which have taken on increased importance and urgency since the 2022 summit.
It is our hope that this brief statement serves as a constructive contribution to a continuous and dynamic dialogue which strengthens the partnership, and ensures that it is people-centred and advances the well-being and prosperity of all.