Euro-African Relations in a Changing Global Order: Shifting Balance Through the Russia–Ukraine War and the African Continental Free Trade Area?

The world is in a state of flux. Old alliances are shaking while new ones are being formed. More than ever before the post-1945 multilateral order under the hegemony of the United States of AmericaChina, United States is being challenged by emerging global powers like China and old adversary like Russia. The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine constitutes a defining factor in the evolving shift in geography of power and geopolitics. Both AfricaAfrica, European Union and the EU are at the centre of these changes. Riding against the wind of nationalism and beggar thy neighbour policies of the 1930s, Africa has launched the African Continental Free Trade AreaAfrican Union, Continental Free Trade Area as a means of fostering more intra-AfricanAfrica, intra-African trade tradeAfrican Continental Free Trade Area, intra-African trade and increasing the contributions of the continent to the global value chains. As the leading trade partner with Africa, the EU is trying to leverage on its historical and ongoing engagements with Africa to preserve access to markets and ensure continuous flow of raw materials. This chapter examines the relationship between Africa and the EU in the context of the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and the African Continental Free Trade Area. The overarching questions are how will these changes affect the relations between the two continents? Would the changes bring about better deals for Africa or retain the old paternalistic posturing of the issue? How can Africa leverage on the AfCTA to recalibrate its relations with the EU, especially in the light of new powers that are showing more interests on the continent? This paper will be analysed through the theoretical lens of critical international political economy. It concludes that beyond the sentimental attachment with old partners like the EU, AfricaAfrica, European Union needs to carefully develop a strategy that can enhance its capacity to maximizing its interest in its engagement with both old and new partners.