Physical Address
Indirizzo: Via Mario Greco 60, Buttigliera Alta, 10090, Torino, Italy
Representing the President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Attaf, warned, this Tuesday, against the multiplication of centers of tension on the African continent, dominated by putsches, internal conflicts and external interference, calling for a rethinking of the priorities of the Africa-Europe partnership, during his intervention, in the Angolan capital, at the 7th African Union-European Union Summit devoted to peace, security and governance.
At the opening of his speech, Mr. Attaf recalled that the meeting was being held “in an international context of extreme complexity and an exceptional level of disruption”. He insisted on the fact that this generally unstable climate “has not spared the African continent”, which finds itself confronted with a series of political and security shocks. According to him, Africa is now suffering direct repercussions from an international system marked by multiple tensions. The successive crises, rivalries between powers and geopolitical restructuring create an environment where “African vulnerabilities are amplified”. He assured that these trends are no longer cyclical, but “deeply structural”.
The minister spoke of the first warning sign, which he attributes to the worrying resurgence of unconstitutional changes of governments on the continent. He stressed that these ruptures are no longer “circumstantial fallout” nor isolated accidents, but that they represent “a reality which is expanding and strengthening”. He added that the multiplication of these coups reflects “a prolonged political impasse” in several countries where democratic transitions are not successful. Assuring that this trend weakens institutions, erodes citizen confidence and complicates the reconstruction of a stable political order, he warned that this phenomenon “directly compromises the prospects for democratic governance in Africa”.
The minister then spoke of the second alarm signal, namely “the worsening of the terrorist scourge in Africa”. He said that, unlike the rest of the world where terrorism is on the decline, the African continent is experiencing a persistent outbreak of extremist violence. Affirming that “the Sahel region has become the global epicenter of terrorism”, he explained that this transformation results from a weakening of States, the absence of economic opportunities and the massive trafficking of weapons which circulate freely. Mr. Attaf then questioned “an international silence that is difficult to understand”, even though African States and populations “pay a considerable human and economic price”.
Continuing his analysis, the head of diplomacy addressed the third alarm signal, which concerns the multiplication of foreign military interventions on the continent. He affirmed that these interferences, far from stabilizing regions in crisis, have become “a structural factor in the African security landscape”.
He maintained that these interventions prolong conflicts, modify internal balances and disrupt African initiatives for peaceful settlement. He warned that this situation “considerably reduces the sovereignty of African states” and prevents the emergence of lasting political solutions.
Agenda 2063 under threat
Finally, Mr. Attaf mentioned the fourth and final alarm signal, linked to “the progressive erasure of Africa’s diplomatic role in major international bodies”. Noting that the continent’s security and political priorities “no longer receive the required attention” on the multilateral agenda, he stressed that this marginalization deprives Africa of its ability to influence decisions that directly affect it. He considered that this marginalization has a structural impact, because it limits the continent’s access to the support, financing or mediation mechanisms necessary for the resolution of its internal crises, specifying that this sidelining represents “one of the heaviest structural obstacles” for the achievement of the ambitious objectives set by Agenda 2063.
Faced with these warning signals, Ahmed Attaf called for a profound reorientation of the partnership between Africa and Europe. Stating that the first priority must be an end to “international lethargy” surrounding African crises. He continued by assuring that the second priority consists of restoring the African diplomatic role and placing “African solutions at the heart of the resolution of African crises”.
He recalled that the African Union has already demonstrated its effectiveness when it has “the necessary space to act” and the required political support. The minister added that the third priority must be investment in development, presented as “the best sustainable response to multifaceted crises”. As such, he considers that the European commitments made within the framework of the “Global Gateway” initiative must be translated into tangible actions.
Finally, the fourth priority concerns, according to him, the need to put an end to “the marginalization of Africa in international decision-making centers”, considering that this exclusion remains “one of the main obstacles” to the construction of a continental future in line with African ambitions. He argued that the reform of international governance must cease to be a simple slogan and become a concrete project.