ABSTRACT
A state’s foreign policy is also a reflection of the state’s history, socio-economic conditions, culture, politics and perceived role identity as it engages other actors in the international milieu. This chapter focuses on understanding the systemic factors that shape state behaviour, particularly how the development and implementation of the EU’s foreign policy has shaped relations with Africa. Adopting a longitudinal approach, the analysis traces the challenges of implementation, from the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy to the EU Global Strategy for the European Union’s Foreign and Security Policy. The analysis highlights that it is the gaps between the EU’s foreign policy principles and its implementation in practice that have undermined EU-Africa relations. EU-AU relations bring together over 80 states, and building leverage in multilateral institutions has paid off in getting traction in the negotiations on climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
