Shared security: African-European cooperation in a multipolar world order
African economies are booming. With young and vibrant populations, an abundance in natural resources, and accelerating advancements in digital innovation and green technologies, African countries are attracting global interest. China’s Belt and Road Initiative is a well-known example of foreign direct investment, but by far not the only one. A wide range of middle powers – ranging from Turkey, Brazil, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates – are making inroads in African economies.At the same time, the spoils of economic growth are unequally divided, causing anguish and frustration that occasionally result in violence. This seminar explores the future of African-European economic cooperation in the context of strategic rivalry. Considering the ongoing securitisation of critical minerals, raw materials and energy markets under the guise of Great Power competition, how can African and European partners find trade agreements that are equitable and beneficial to all?
This event is part of a seminar series that examines the promises and perils of European strategic autonomy by incorporating African perspectives. The first edition was held at Leiden University College on 22 September and considered military cooperation. The third edition will be held at the Institute of Security and Global Affairs in November and will consider diplomatic cooperation.
Register for this event on the KVBK website.
Photo by Ninno JackJr on Unsplash.
Speaker
Victoria Ojoagefu Manya is a PhD candidate at the African Studies Centre Leiden (ASCL) and is working on a research project in inclusive innovation entitled ‘The African Start-up Ecosystem: funding, informality, gender inclusivity and the trajectories of maturity’.
Eric Cezne is a researcher at the African Studies Centre Leiden, working on the political geographies of energy transformations and green industrialisation in Africa, with a current focus on hydrogen energy. His research combines elements from Human Geography, International Relations, and African Studies and draws on methodologies like ethnography, discourse analysis and, more recently, social cartography.
Date, time and location
22 October 2026
16:00-18:00
Herta Mohr Building / Faculty of Humanities, Witte Singel 27a, 2311 BG Leiden
Room 0.31
Posted on 1 October 2026, last modified on 2 October 2026