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The EU must not abandon African democracy as it battles populism at home

The EU is facing an existential crisis and a year of tumultuous elections in member states, but now more than ever, the bloc needs to prove that collective foreign policy can make a difference.

By Bram Dijkstra
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PA-26008723.jpg

The logo of the European Union (EU) training mission EUTM Mali pictured in Bamako, Mali, 06 April 2016. PAimages/Michael Kappeler. All rights reserved.

As nationalism, populism and Kremlin interference threaten the twin bastions of the post-World War 2 democratic order, Europe and America, it would be easy for EU officials to forget about Africa.

Yet a combination of conflict, repression and underdevelopment in parts of the continent continue to drive people from their homes daily, contributing to the stream of migrants and refugees that have so challenged EU policy makers. Just this week, reports emerged that Russia plans to back an anti-government Libyan general advancing on Tripoli, potentially adding to that flow.

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Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0