Parliamentarians from Africa and Europe will gather in Eswatini from 12 to 14 May for the inaugural plenary session of the Africa-EU Parliamentary Assembly, focusing on

strengthening cooperation in areas including security, youth mobility and access to critical raw materials.

The opening ceremony is scheduled for 12 May at 10:00 at the Ezulwini Palazzo International Convention and Conference Centre. The event will be attended by Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, Prince Lindani, and the Assembly’s co-presidents, European Parliament member Hilde Vautmans of Belgium and Beninese MP David Houinsa.

Over the three-day meeting, lawmakers are expected to debate a range of shared priorities shaping Africa-EU relations. Discussions will centre on the role of regional organisations and parliamentary institutions in promoting peace and security, the future of multilateral cooperation and parliamentary diplomacy, and opportunities to improve youth mobility within the partnership framework.

Delegates will also examine the role of women in agriculture and exchange views on the growing global competition for critical raw materials, an issue of increasing strategic importance for both continents.

The session will conclude with the adoption of recommendations to be submitted to the Africa-EU Council of Ministers.

A press briefing with the co-presidents is scheduled for 12 May from 09:00 to 09:30 at the convention centre in Ezulwini. Photo by John Atherton, Wikimedia commons.