In a rapidly changing world, the EU is grappling with complex global challenges, from the climate crisis to threats to global health security and everything in between. These are challenges that neither the EU or its Member States can solve alone. 

Africa holds many of the solutions to tackling these crises. The continent holds 60% of the world’s solar potential, and vast rainforests absorbing more carbon than the Amazon. Yet, much of the continent still faces unequal access to education, good jobs, quality healthcare, and continued climate injustice whilst having contributed the least to global emissions. 

Increasing resources for global action, unleashing Africa’s green potential and working together to ensure fair global rules are key priorities for the next 5 years – not only for the EU’s credibility as a partner, but for our collective future. So, what’s missing? ONE is putting forward several recommendations to the next generation of EU decision-makers, setting out what steps need to be taken over the next mandate to deliver a fair and dignified future for everyone, everywhere: 

A strong long-term EU budget. The EU cannot be a champion in the fight against deadly diseases and the climate crisis as well as a staunch defender for multilateralism, and a champion of budgetary frugality at the same time. Three quarters of citizens believe that it’s important for the EU to invest in partner countries, with 74% believing that tackling poverty in partner countries should be priority for the EU. We’re urging the EU to scale up resources for global action in the EU’s next 7-year budget (2028-2032) to guarantee urgent progress against the greatest challenges the world is facing. We want to see the EU think bigger and endorse bold decisions that will enable it to live up to its international responsibilities. Solutions exist: an EU Financial Transaction Tax could raise between €17-29 billion annually.  

Continuing to lead globally on combatting killer diseases. The EU should continue to play a leading role in investing in global health programmes, including the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance which have helped save 59 million and 16.2 million lives respectively since their creation. These results would not have been possible without the EU’s long-standing partnership and financial commitments. But past progress is not a promise of future gains, and the job is far from done. The EU must defend its leadership on global health and, in line with the EU Global Health Strategy, ensure that both Gavi and the Global Fund are fully funded during their upcoming replenishments. 

No trade-off between development aspirations and climate action: Climate action should not come at the expense of partner countries’ development aspirations. To unlock game-changing levels of financing, Team Europe must deliver on its long-standing development and climate financing commitments, ensuring that climate financing is additional to development spending, and forge a common and ambitious position on reforming Multilateral Development Banks to unlock more low-cost capital.  

Africa at the table, not the menu. The current global financial architecture is unfiar.  We’re calling on the EU to address systemic imbalances, ensuring Africa has greater decision-making power over rules that will shape its future. This involves supporting Africa’s call for permanent UN Security Council seats and championing African-backed calls for reforms of financial institutions. 

You can read our full set of recommendations here.