We stand at a geopolitical tipping point. The international order is fragmenting with the rise of populism, climate shocks, great power rivalry and economic nationalism. The multilateral system that once anchored global stability risks sliding into irrelevance.
Look no further than our own two continents. Africa and Europe’s relationship has at times been transactional and short-term, driven by crises, from migration to security.
But we cannot simply stand by and allow this fragmentation to take hold. Neither Africa nor Europe can confront the interconnected challenges of today alone — but through interdependence, we stand a chance.
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About the authors
Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson served as president of Ireland from 1990-1997 and U.N. high commissioner for human rights from 1997-2002. In August 2014, she was appointed as the United Nations secretary-general’s special envoy on climate change. She is also a member of The Elders and honorary president of the Africa-Europe Foundation.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf served as president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. She was the first woman to be democratically elected as head of state in Africa, and in 2011 became a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She is the founder of the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Presidential Center for Women and Development and honorary president of the Africa-Europe Foundation.
