President William Ruto has urged African and European leaders to forge a new era of equal partnership anchored in multilateralism, economic cooperation, climate justice and a modern approach to migration.
Speaking during the 7th AU–EU Summit in Luanda, Angola, on November 25, 2025, Ruto said Africa is no longer on the margins of global affairs but is at the very centre of a rapidly shifting world order.
Ruto told heads of state and delegates that the world has moved decisively into a multipolar era marked by complexity and competition.
He said Africa and Europe must choose to reinvent the future rather than dwell on historical grievances. He stressed that Africa arrives at the summit not as a recipient of aid, but as an equal partner with ideas, talent and economic potential, noting that the era of charity-driven relationships must end.
“We come not with empty hands, but with open ones offering partnership, innovation and opportunity,” he said.
He highlighted the rise of a generation of innovators across Africa—youth developing digital solutions, renewable energy technologies and smart agriculture.
He said these young people are watching to see whether leaders will match their ambition or “fall back into the comfort of old stereotypes.”
Ruto called for deeper regional integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area, describing it as the most significant economic project since the creation of the EU.
A unified African market of 1.4 billion people, he said, offers substantial opportunities for Europe, particularly if investments build industries rather than reinforce dependency.
He underscored Africa’s disproportionate burden in the climate crisis despite contributing less than 4 percent of global emissions.
He urged leaders to make climate finance accessible, predictable and fair, insisting that investments in Africa’s climate adaptation safeguard global security.
Ruto also pressed for reforms in international taxation, stronger measures against illicit financial flows and implementation of asset recovery frameworks.
He cited the African Development Bank’s projection that the continent must bridge an annual financing gap of more than US$400 billion by 2030 to meet its development goals.
Strengthening domestic resource mobilisation, he said, is critical to achieving this.
The President urged Europe to shift from securitised migration policies and adopt frameworks that enable legal pathways for both skilled and unskilled labour.
He called for the recognition of qualifications across borders and for circular migration systems that allow talent to circulate, not drain, from Africa.
He described African professionals working abroad as contributors to shared prosperity, not symbols of loss.
Ruto further called for reforms to the United Nations Security Council to reflect current geopolitical realities, arguing that dialogue—not domination—must guide global governance.
He said both continents must defend multilateralism to avoid a return to zero-sum global rivalries.
He concluded by urging leaders to make the Luanda summit a turning point and build a partnership grounded in equality, trust and shared purpose.
“Africa is ready,” he said.
“The question is whether we are ready together?”
