Angola is rich in raw materials, but most of the population lives in poverty.
The Magdalena also has a view of the city skyline, but not following the prominent peak into the capital’s government district on the other side of the bay. It is quite difficult for him to organize his daily life.
“I need work urgently. Without work, I can’t feed my children,” she said.
Africa and Europe in a state of crisis
In Luanda, the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU) held their seventh summit under the theme “Promoting peace and prosperity through effective multilateralism”. Together, they represent 82 countries with a population of approximately 2 billion people.
The pressure has never been greater. “As we all know, uncertainty remains on the international stage. The established norms of international geopolitics are being challenged,” AU Commission Chair Mahmoud Youssef said in a statement ahead of the summit.,
Russia is waging a war in Europe, US President Donald Trump imposes radical tariffs and breaks WTO rules. China is aggressively entering global markets. Conflicts are intensifying in Africa: A brutal war has raged in Sudan, and jihadist insurgency has spread across the Sahel region.
Furthermore, parts of Africa are greatly affected by climate change. “Drought destroys livelihoods. It’s a dangerous mix. And people take dangerous routes across the Atlantic and the Mediterranean,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said at the summit.
Before heading to the conference hall, Merz attended an informal last-minute meeting of EU leaders. Even in Luanda, Africa, discussions are being held on how to carry forward Russia’s war against Ukraine.
For Merz and other heads of state and government, this amounts to politics in a crisis situation, while Africa and Europe seek to get closer to each other. In the summit’s final declaration, they emphasize a world order “based on international law and effective multilateralism.”
Africa’s potential and Europe’s dependence
The EU is Africa’s largest trading partner and investor. According to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, one third of all African exports go to Europe,
Many African countries have vital raw materials that Europe needs for its energy transition and industry: rare earths, copper, cobalt and lithium. However, there is too much competition and Africa wants to avoid one-sided dependence.
The current chair of the AU, President Joao Lourenco of Angola, said, “The world is not made up of just one or two countries. We work with all who are open to us.” “We are open to the world.”
“We do not want to leave this continent to others,” warned Merz, referring primarily to China. Through its Belt and Road Initiative, China is investing in Africa’s bridges, ports and roads. Even the brand new airport in Luanda was built and financed by China as a prestige project.
“China helped rebuild Angola after the civil war in 2002 with loans and infrastructure projects,” Wander Spellmeier of the German Industry and Commerce Delegation in Angola (AHK Angola) told DW.
In his view, “it is not too late for the EU.” He told that Angola is now trying to free itself from China’s huge debt.
Local value creation instead of export
“This future African and European cooperation should emphasize the exchange of knowledge and skills that will contribute to transforming African local economies,” Hermine Sam, program coordinator South at the German Marshall Fund, told DW.
Otherwise, the old cycle will continue, he said. “Raw material goes out cheap and comes back after being processed expensive.”
Olaf Wientzek, head of multinational development dialogue at the German Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Brussels, also sees it as leverage. “Europe can score points against China by strengthening local processing capabilities,” he told DW.
He admits that European processes are often rigid and slow. “But Europe wants greater participation in the economy from China.”
Global Gateway: Europe’s answer to China
The Global Gateway Initiative is often seen as the EU’s response to China. The investment program supports infrastructure projects with EU financing and private investors.
One of Global Gateway’s prestigious projects is being built in Angola: the Lobito Corridor, a railway line that links the raw material regions of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to the Atlantic coast. Businesses ranging from agriculture to logistics are to be established on this route.
The EU is proud of this showcase project. Von der Leyen said, “While we connect Africa to global markets, we are also supporting trade within your continent. I think this is the best way for African companies to prepare and be ready for global competition.”
Germany’s Merz supported his statement. He said, “The European Single Market is a huge success story and the biggest peace project Europe has ever seen. And it is precisely against this background that Germany has supported the Pan-African Free Trade Area from the beginning.”
Still there is a lot of criticism. “In its conception, the Global Gateway was not developed in consultation with African stakeholders and ignored African priorities,” Hermine Sam told DW. He said the EU is often criticized for making big speeches but achieving nothing, especially compared to China.
What is left after the Luanda summit?
Africa is a particularly young continent: 40% of its population is under the age of 15. They need education, jobs and housing. This is in sharp contrast to Europe, where only 16% are under 15 years of age.
“The young African generation, which is creative, dynamic and growing rapidly, is one of the greatest assets for our shared future,” said Antonio Costa, President of the European Council.
But two days after the EU-AU summit in Luanda, in which the government declared a public holiday due to the many international guests, what is left? Magdalena, mother of four children, says that she stays away from politics. She is roasting food on a small coal fire. He also has hopes for the future.
“I’m young. I really need work urgently.”
This article was originally written in German.
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