Conclusions: A New Era of African Agency

A prevailing sense of insecurity pervades the world, fuelled by a surge in high-intensity conflicts and shifting geopolitical dynamics among traditional and emerging global powers over the past two decades. These changes are disrupting global trade and politics and testing the legitimacy and efficacy of existing multilateral institutions. They have also reverberated in the relationship between Europe and Africa. Both Europe and Africa have sought to strategically reposition themselves in this dynamic global landscape. For Africa, this has been a positive shift. The continent is carving out a new role in a multipolar world, diversifying its partnerships and offering attractive growth opportunities to investors; Africa contains some of the world’s fastest-growing economies and is anticipated to be the fastest-growing world region by 2027. However, read most assessments of Africa’s prospects, notably those from Europe, and this is not the perspective that emerges.