Ruto Calls For Africa-EU Partnerships Rooted In Industrial Growth And Equality
President William Ruto with other Heads of States and Governments in Luanda, Angola yesterday.
By MKT Reporter
President William Ruto has urged Africa’s development partners, particularly the European Union, to support industrial growth on the continent rather than perpetuating a culture of dependency.
Speaking at the 7th African Union-European Union Summit in Luanda yesterday, President Ruto called on African states and their partners to move from extractive relationships toward productive ones; shifting from exporting raw materials to exporting innovation and finished goods.
He said Africa’s partnerships have for too long been shaped by charity, which he noted provides no lasting solutions to the continent’s challenges.
“Each has what the other needs. Together, we are not two continents facing each other; we are two halves of a single horizon. So let this summit in Luanda be remembered not for prevarication, but for decisions,” President Ruto said.
The President emphasised that Africa is offering genuine partnership and is ready to shape a shared future as an equal, rather than remain tied to the past. He urged the continent to deepen regional economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a single market of 1.4 billion people, noting that greater intra-African trade would also strengthen Africa-Europe economic relations.
President Ruto also highlighted the importance of digital transformation, climate adaptation, fair labour mobility, and reform of international institutions. He said Africa is already innovating in technology, with entrepreneurs from Kigali to Lagos reshaping sectors such as finance, agriculture, and education.
On climate change, he called for accessible, predictable, and fair climate finance, stressing that investing in Africa’s climate resilience is an investment in global security and humanity’s survival. On labour mobility, he advocated for recognition of qualifications across borders, establishment of migration frameworks, and protection of migrants’ rights.
The President further urged the European Union to support reform of the UN Security Council to reflect contemporary realities and to make the international financial architecture fairer6 and more responsive to Africa’s needs.
“Africa asks only for fairness—for a seat at the table, not a place on the menu. For a partnership grounded not in pity, but in parity,” he said.
He warned that illicit financial flows continue to undermine African countries’ ability to fund essential public services and called for stronger action through intergovernmental platforms under the United Nations. He also stressed the importance of scaling up domestic resource mobilisation as a reliable and predictable source of finance for sustainable development.
The two-day AU-EU Summit, which began Monday, was attended by Angolan President and African Union Chair João Lourenço, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, EU Council President António Costa, African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and other heads of state and government. Later yesterday, the president was scheduled to present a report on African Union institutional reforms, which he champions.
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