The African Union and European Union launched the AU-EU Civil Society & Youth Forum today, which unites Civil Society & Young leaders from across both continents to participate in the agenda of the summit and prepare recommendations to present to Heads of State and Government at 7th AU-EU summit on 24 November 2025.
More than 100 Civil Society & Youth representatives are gathering in Luanda to exchange on the partnership’s opportunities and challenges and identify recommendations together to feed into the high-level political debate as part of the AU-EU Partnership.
His Excellency Rui Luís Falcão Pinto de Andrade, Minister for Youth and Sports of the Republic of Angola, and Her Excellency Rosário Bento Pais, EU Ambassador to the Republic of Angola, opened the event. In the coming two days, the Forum will provide a platform for their organise, reinforce and amplify the voices of Civil Society & Youth representatives, strengthening the critical people-to-people, peace and security, multilateral and economic dimensions of the EU-Africa partnership. Thematic sessions on the AU-EU Partnership under the Joint Vision 2030, Global Gateway and Young Entrepreneurship, and AU-EU Cultural Relations complement roundtable discussions on the four thematic priorities of the summit: Peace & Security, People, Prosperity, Multilateralism.
A Joint Declaration with actionable recommendations will be finalised and shared with African and European political leaders at the AU-EU summit.
Background
Youth and civil society engagement in the AU-EU partnership
Youth engagement, policies and initiatives are key in the AU-EU partnership. Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and young people have a critical role to play in the success of the Africa-EU partnership’s future, and the continued engagement of both these stakeholders is central to the EU-AU Joint Vision 2030.
Recognising the invaluable role civil society and youth organisations play in promoting sustainable development and peace notably, both the European Union and African Union are committed to fostering further meaningful dialogue and collaboration between those actors in Europe and Africa, in particular with new joint mechanisms and structures currently being developed.
African Union – European Union Summit
In the framework of the 25th anniversary of their unique and enduring partnership (#AUEU25), African and European Heads of State and Government will gather in Luanda, Angola, on 24-25 November 2025 for the 7th AU-EU Summit. This sequence will be an important milestone in new political mandates at both the EU and the AU, as well as an important moment of convergence and renewed partnership between both continents. Under the theme ‘Promoting peace and prosperity through effective multilateralism’, the summit will review progress made since the 2022 Summit, using the Joint Vision for 2030, the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package and the AU Agenda 2063 as policy compasses, and consider new priorities.
For more information
Website of the AU-EU Civil Society & Youth Forum
Website of the 7th AU-EU Summit
Agenda of the Civil Society & Youth Forum
