EU Commissioner says strengthening Africa benefits Europe's future

EU International Partnerships Commissioner Jozef Sikela told reporters at the European Commission headquarters in Brussels that multilateralism remains a cornerstone of the Union’s foreign policy, even as great‑power competition intensifies worldwide. He argued that the resurgence of strong‑man politics does not signal a retreat from collaborative approaches, and highlighted the EU’s ongoing commitment to coordinated action in regions such as Africa and the Arctic.

Sikela outlined the EU’s strategy of partnering with African nations through joint development programmes, climate‑resilience initiatives and trade agreements that are negotiated collectively with other global actors. In the Arctic, he emphasized the Union’s support for the Arctic Council and its emphasis on scientific cooperation, sustainable resource management and the inclusion of indigenous voices. According to the commissioner, these efforts demonstrate that traditional multilateral frameworks continue to shape the EU’s external engagements, reinforcing a rules‑based order that balances the interests of both large and smaller states.