EU and AU - what to do?

TLDR
The EU's development approach towards Africa, centered around the Global Gateway strategy, faces significant challenges compared to China's Belt and Road Initiative. While Europe focuses on geostrategic competition, African nations prioritize developmental opportunities, favoring partners who respect their agendas. China's rapid, no-strings-attached investment strategy is attractive to many African countries. However, it has raised concerns about environmental damage, corruption, and debt. To improve its role in Africa, the EU must move beyond competing with China and instead focus on aligning its efforts with local needs, speeding up delivery, and offering flexible, long-term development solutions.
 
The European Union (EU) faces significant challenges in its development approach towards Africa, primarily due to the competing influence of China. The EU's Global Gateway strategy must catch up as China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) rapidly expands its global reach, offering substantial investments in green technologies, infrastructure, and productive sectors. However, Africa views these two global powers through a different rivalry lens than Europe. Instead, African countries are focused on seizing development opportunities and choosing partners who can best help them advance their own national priorities.
 
While the EU has become more concerned with geostrategic competition—especially given its strained relationship with China due to trade imbalances, tariffs, and China's support of Russia—African countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Morocco, and South Africa are looking for tangible benefits. They welcome contributions from Europe and China, provided these align with their green transition goals. For example, the DRC seeks to leverage its critical mineral reserves for climate change solutions. At the same time, South Africa aims to balance its energy needs with a sustainable transition to greener industries.
 
China's competitive advantage lies in its ability to deliver quickly, efficiently, and without the conditional strings often accompanying European or Western aid. This no-strings-attached approach—aligned with China's policy of non-interference—has allowed African policymakers to accept Chinese investments readily. However, this approach is increasingly questioned as reports of environmental degradation, labor rights abuses, and accusations of corruption have emerged, prompting some African countries to reconsider their reliance on Chinese funding. Even so, the scale and speed of China's investments continue to make it an attractive partner.
 
On the other hand, the EU's Global Gateway strategy has struggled to establish a competitive edge. While it seeks to address infrastructure deficits and promote productive investments, the initiative needs to be improved by slow delivery, a lack of flexibility, and perceptions of a rigid, patronizing attitude toward green transition policies. African stakeholders, especially in countries like South Africa, have voiced concerns about how European financing, with its restrictions, may limit their broader national development goals.
 
For the EU to improve its role in Africa, it must shift its focus from geopolitical competition with China to a more partner-centric approach. African countries do not want to choose between Europe and China; they want solutions that genuinely address their needs. The EU needs to deliver faster, focus on local value addition, and avoid the piecemeal approaches that have weakened its developmental impact thus far.
 
 
Concluding Remarks
The EU must reimagine its development strategy to strengthen its role in Africa. Rather than positioning itself solely as a counterbalance to China, the EU should prioritize adaptability and speed, focusing on African countries' needs. The Global Gateway strategy should be reshaped to offer more flexible, long-term solutions that support local agendas and sustainable growth. By moving beyond geostrategic rivalry and building relationships rooted in mutual benefit, Europe can better serve its African partners' interests and aspirations while contributing meaningfully to their development goals.
 
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