Africa-Europe: What partnership to ensure food security?

Africa–Europe: What Partnership for Food Security?

Against the backdrop of disruptions to global agricultural markets caused by the war in Ukraine, European Strategic Initiative organised an expert conference dedicated to food security challenges and their implications for the Africa–Europe partnership.

The event brought together representatives from European institutions, international organisations, diplomatic circles and specialised organisations to assess the impact of the crisis on food supply chains, global agricultural balances and the stability of particularly vulnerable regions, notably West Africa, the Sahel and the Horn of Africa.

Discussions focused on the European Union’s response to the crisis, prospects for cooperation between Europe and Africa in the fields of agricultural production and food resilience, as well as the need to strengthen the strategic autonomy and response capacity of both continents in the face of international shocks.

The conference also explored the links between food security, economic stability, agricultural development and regional security, highlighting the importance of integrated approaches to contemporary crises.

Moderator

Viwanou Gnassounou, Political Adviser and former Assistant Secretary-General of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).

Speakers

• Raschad Al-Khafaji, Director of the Liaison Office with the European Union and Belgium, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO);
• Nicola Bellomo, Head of Africa Division I, European External Action Service (EEAS);
• Roberto Berutti, Member of the Cabinet of European Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski;
• Vsevolod Chentsov, Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union;
• Emile Frison, Member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems (IPES-Food);
• Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle, Coordinator, FARM – Foundation for World Agriculture and Rurality;
• Leonard Mizzi, Head of Sustainable Agri-Food Systems and Fisheries, European Commission.

This event provided an opportunity to examine the consequences of a major international crisis through the lens of food security, resilience and the growing interdependencies between Europe and Africa.