In both the opening and closing speeches of the event, held in Angola on November 24 and 25, a recurring theme was the need to translate all the commitments and promises made at this and other meetings into concrete actions and realities.

In this regard, the Luanda Declaration, with 49 points of consensus, includes the creation of a permanent monitoring mechanism within the existing AU-EU structures, including the Ministerial Monitoring Committee, to assess the progress made in fulfilling the agreements.

According to the document, the new structure will be established at the next Senior Officials’ Meeting of both blocs and will immediately have much to accomplish, given that both sides committed to making progress in areas such as investment, mobility, health, culture, and trade, among others.

On migration and mobility, they agreed to deepen cooperation and dialogue in a comprehensive, integrated, and balanced manner, based on shared responsibility and commitment and respect for international law and human rights.

Combating the smuggling of migrants and human trafficking, strengthening border management capacities, and improving sustainable, safe, and timely return, readmission, and reintegration are among the agreements reached by the two blocs.

The commitment extended to addressing the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, particularly through inclusive growth, sustainable development, and regional stability; they also agreed to strengthen legal pathways for migration and mobility.

abo/arm/mem/kmg