Africa-Europe high-level roundtable on catalysing capital flows and investments

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BACKGROUND

On 24–25 November 2025, leaders from across the African Union and the European Union will convene in Luanda, Angola, for the 7th AU–EU Summit.

As 2025 marks 25 years of Africa–Europe cooperation, the Summit comes at a decisive moment for both continents to demonstrate concrete progress in advancing shared priorities — from accelerating the green transition to unlocking inclusive growth and investment.

Against this backdrop, the Africa–Europe Foundation (AEF), together with strategic partners, including AUDA-NEPAD and UNIDO, will host an Africa-Europe High-Level Roundtable on Catalysing Capital Flows and Investments at the AU-EU Business Forum (AEBF), on the sidelines of the 7th AU–EU Summit.

The Roundtable will provide a platform to discuss capital flows and emerging investment opportunities between Africa and Europe, drawing on the insights of experts and practitioners. It will also provide a moment to showcase AEF action research on an Africa-Europe Investment Catalogue for Transformative Projects in Africa; the AfCEN-led Project Preparation Facility (PPF); and the UNIDO-led ACP Investment Platform

Beyond presenting innovative products and solutions, the discussion will explore how to mobilize stronger support for projects to reach full bankability and close the last-mile financing gap—paving the way for a new generation of Africa–Europe investment partnerships.

The meeting will serve as a timely discussion in the context of #RoadtoLuanda25 and the 7th AU-EU Heads of State Summit, an AEF-led cross-continental initiative advancing fresh policy ideas and bold investment initiatives to revitalise the Africa–Europe Partnership and strengthen the two continents’ competitive interdependence.

CONTEXT

As Africa and Europe mark 25 years of partnership, both the AU and EU reaffirm their shared commitment to mobilising investment for transformative projects across Africa. The upcoming 7th AU–EU Summit in Luanda offers a timely opportunity to advance a more strategic and mutually beneficial partnership.

Investment-ready projects across Africa — particularly in energy, infrastructure, and industrial development — remain both limited and underexposed to international investors. Existing pipelines and financing initiatives, including on closing the last-mile bankability gap, fall short of the scale required to drive transformative outcomes. Gaps in infrastructure, financing instruments, and institutional capacity continue to constrain project implementation, regional integration, and local value creation.

Africa and Europe must adopt a new investment paradigm that links Europe’s technical and financial capacity with Africa’s transformative potential. This requires mobilising and acting faster to advance strategically prioritised projects across the bankability spectrum — from near-ready to fully bankable — ensuring that high-impact opportunities reach investment closure and deliver measurable results.

ROUNDTABLE DESCRIPTION

The 90-minute roundtable will be highly interactive, providing opportunities for invited participants to engage throughout the session and share their perspectives on investment opportunities and challenges.

Held on the sidelines of the 7th AU–EU Heads of State Summit, this High-Level Investment Roundtable will convene prominent figures from Africa and Europe, including policymakers, project implementers and financiers.

Designed to inform and guide both policy and financial decision-makers, the roundtable will generate insights and recommendations on how to mobilise capital and strengthen Africa–Europe partnerships around priority transformative projects.

The meeting will be closed-door and by invitation only, providing a space for candid and open discussion. Participants are encouraged to speak freely, ensuring a frank, off-script dialogue on how to advance investment-ready projects and create mutually beneficial opportunities across Africa and Europe.