The Policy Center for the New South is hosting a joint webinar in partnership with the ASEANplus Platform of the Ghent University under the theme “Europe, Africa and Asia: What Partnership Dynamics after 2021?”. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the effects of globalization and deficiencies resulting from the absence of a clear vision and a coherent action on the geopolitical projection of the European Union (EU). This issue is also at the very heart of the new European Commission (2019-2023). What is notably at stake is the ‘future of Europe’ but also the development of new partnership dynamics between Europe, Africa and Asia. The final weeks of 2020 and the first months of 2021 are crucial in this respect, as most of the instruments and frameworks of partnership between the EU and Africa will be (re)defined, whereas those existing between the EU and Asia are being re-assessed in the light of the current developments. Morocco's pioneering role in its advanced relationships with the EU makes is an important case study as is Thailand within the ASEAN. Which main geo-political, geo-economic and legal constraints and which new partnership dynamics between Europe, Africa and Asia can we expect for the next decade? What is the potential for developing new synergies and ‘partnership triangulations’ across the three continents? These are research questions that can only be answered through a multidisciplinary and prospective reflection. Against this background, this half-day online conference will address challenges, opportunities and perspectives of partnership dynamics after 2020 through 3 sessions: a first session on issues of geopolitics and triangular dynamics between Europe, Africa and Asia; a second session on partnership instruments, investments, regional and sectoral strategies and a third session on the potential for triangular cooperation and mutual Europe-Africa-Asia learning.
