With the adoption of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES) in 2007, Africa and Europe intended to herald a new era in their relationship; an era where the EU would deal with Africa in its entireness, and one in which the post-colonial legacy and the exclusive development focus of their relations would be left behind and a new strategic partnership on a more equal footing would be sought. This new approach had gained momentum as a result of a number of trends, notably: i) a growing dynamics of political and economic integration in Africa, exemplified by the increasing role of the African Union (AU) at the continental level, notably in the area of Peace and Security, ii) a shared recognition by both the EU and Africa that they had to work together to effectively address global challenges, to seize new opportunities for bilateral cooperation in promising areas, and to make their voice heard in the international arena, iii) an increasing awareness that the Cotonou Agreement, which will expire in 2020, might not be best suited to steer EU- Africa relations in the 21st century.
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