The fifth summit bringing together African and European leaders was held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, on 29–30 August 2017. Its central theme was investment in young people as part of an inclusive and sustainable future.
Participants used the meeting to set a direction for cooperation between the two continents. The resulting joint declaration placed education, skills, mobility, peace, governance and investment within a common agenda.
What leaders agreed
The summit’s final declaration described youth investment as a foundation for inclusive growth and sustainable development. It grouped work into four strategic priorities intended to guide the period before the next summit.
- Investment in people through education, science, technology and skills development.
- Stronger resilience, peace, security and accountable governance.
- Migration and mobility.
- Investment supporting structural and sustainable transformation in Africa.
A separate statement concerning migrants in Libya addressed serious abuse by criminal groups and called for coordinated protection and assistance. Another related summit document forms part of the archived record.
Preparatory forums
The summit followed consultations involving civil society, local and regional authorities, parliaments, economic and social organisations, and young leaders. These meetings gave different groups routes into the wider policy process.
Youth participation
Young participants from Africa and Europe met through the fourth Youth Summit and continued their work through the Youth Plug-In Initiative. Their youth agenda fed into discussions about education, employment, participation and mobility.
Civic, parliamentary and economic dialogue
- Third Civil Society Forum, held in Tunis on 11–12 August 2017.
- Fourth Youth Summit, held on 9–11 October 2017.
- Fourth meeting of economic and social stakeholders and councils, held on 16–17 August 2017.
- Sixth cross-continental business forum, held on 27 August 2017.
- First local and regional government forum, held on 27 August 2017.
- Fourth parliamentary summit, held on 27–28 August 2017.
How to read the record
The declaration records political intentions at a specific moment. It is most useful when read alongside later implementation reports and subsequent policy frameworks. The language of commitment should not be treated by itself as evidence that a programme was completed or an outcome achieved.
The Recorded also retains the original summit’s event website, a contemporary institutional press release, a joint institutional statement and an archived background factsheet. Availability and current status August vary because these are historical external resources.
