A general view of a banner showing the founders of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) during the 60th anniversary of the OAU, now African Union (AU), at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa on May 25, 2023. AFP
Ambassador Amr Aljowaily, director of the Diaspora and Citizens’ Organizations Directorate at the African Union Commission, delivered the closing remarks.
He praised the forum for tackling key issues of shared importance to both regions, including the joint EU-AU Vision 2030, youth entrepreneurship, cultural and people-to-people ties, peace and security, and the role of multilateralism in addressing global challenges.
Aljowaily said that convening the first forum adds an important dimension to the African-European partnership by strengthening cooperation between societies and highlighting the priority of youth, given that Africa is the youngest continent in the world and young people represent the future of the partnership.
He emphasized the importance of using the forum’s outcomes to advance African development priorities in multilateral settings, addressing global challenges that cross borders and require coordinated efforts among countries and regions.
The forum’s key recommendations will be presented at the summit beginning tomorrow in Luanda, he added.
A joint African Union-European Union task force was established in 2023 to engage civil society and youth.
Moreover, a virtual forum for civil society and youth organizations was held between the African Union and the European Union on 20 May 2025, alongside the joint African Union-European Union ministerial meeting held on 21 May 2025 in Brussels, Belgium.
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