The European Union

Because of the European colonial rule over most of Africa, the two continents have had a strained relationship, also after decolonization. During the first decade of the current century, the EU launched several conflict management missions to the DRC and to Chad and the Central African Republic. When the slogan of ‘African solutions to African problems’ gained ground in European capitals, the EU’s policies tended to prioritize assistance to and training of the armed forces in several African countries. The most conspicuous initiative was the launch of military training missions, the so-called EUTMs. The EU operated military training missions in Mali, Somalia, and in the Central African Republic. EU policies towards Africa in the current century seem to point towards a conclusion that they have mainly been about European concerns in maintaining stability and less about the economic and social development in African countries.