South Africa, Europe and Africa: Building bridges across barriers?

Following the European Union (EU) High Representative/Vice President (HP/VP) Federica Mogherini’s visit to South Africa in February 2016 and the April 2016 AU-EU Commissions’ College-to-College meeting in Addis, this paper aims to provide an understanding of current trends in EU-South Africa relations and their implication for Africa’s integration process. This Briefing Note first looks at the main features of South Africa’s foreign policy under President Zuma. It then provides an update on the EU-South Africa Strategic Partnership and, lastly, it focuses on the continental level and the interplay between the African Union (AU), South Africa and the EU.