Host country President Alassane Ouattara called discussions “constructive” during the closing ceremony, and said that conversations extended beyond a donor-recipient tone, and leaned more towards a collaborative effort to build and strengthen partnerships.

3 Key Themes:
  1. Quality education and training: With a growing youth population, the rising demand for education is a critical issue. A key element in providing adequate work opportunities for young people revolves around the question of whether they are being equipped with the skills needed to succeed in a modern workforce. Education exclusion rates in Africa are still worse than any other region in the world, with 60 percent of youth aged 15 to 17 not in school, and roughly one-third of youth between ages 12 and 14.
  2. Peace, security, and governance: Establishing governance in countries already faced with internal ethnic disputes, armed conflicts, waves of extremism, food insecurity, and looming health epidemics can prove overwhelming for developing states with limited resources.
  3. Migration and mobility: Addressing the root causes of migration places an emphasis on inclusive widespread growth, access to quality work, education and finance, reiterated European and African leaders.

Read the full article on the first AU-EU summit by Christin Roby at Devex International Development