April 13-15 2026, AEPI President, Brendan Howlin and Director Operations, Marion Verweij, visited the Benelux countries.
First stop was the Luxembourg parliament, where Mr. Gusty Graas, Chair of the Luxembourg Parliament’s Foreign and European Affairs Committee, received the AEPI delegation. There was a productive and lively exchange of views on the current situation and needs in Africa and Luxembourg’s Africa policy in this context.
Following this, there were several meetings in Brussels. The situation with regard to EU-Africa relations in the current global context was a main topic of conversation. Other areas included how the two continents are bound by deep economic, political and societal ties, and these relations are evolving in the current rapidly shifting global landscape. There are needs to be addressed as the EU looks to transition from an aid-based relationship to a genuinely equitable partnership. Attention is needed for good governance, and the elected representatives of the people need to deal with the current challenges. This is one of the aspects addressed in a meeting with Ms. Djamila Chikhi, Acting Head of Unit, ACP, in looking at how we might pool resources to build a greater cohesion in delivering results.
The mission concluded in the Hauge wth a meeting with Dutch parliamentarians Ms. Suzanne Kroger (PR) and Mr. Mpanzu Bamenga (D66). Discussions also centred around key challenges in political and social changes in Africa and how to address them. Dutch involvement with AEPI was looked at as well as the current process in follow-up to the Dutch Strategy on Africa.
Conversations will continue in the coming time to explore ways to consolidate democratic developments in Africa, strengthening democratic institutions, and how we might join forces towards greater effectiveness.