40 years of making international partnerships work
Authors
- ECDPM
2026 marks our 40th anniversary as an independent foundation dedicated to improving cooperation between Europe and Africa. Since 1986, ECDPM has grown into a leading ‘think and do’ tank on international partnerships with offices in Maastricht and Brussels. Our mission remains to design and implement policies to form truly win-win relationships in an increasingly fragmented, conflictual and uncertain world.
Celebrating 40 years is an opportunity to look forward as much as look back. We are celebrating with a series of publications, reflections and events on the growing challenges for international cooperation.
In the years ahead, ECDPM will continue to focus on climate, energy and food, economy and trade, geopolitics and development, governance, migration and mobility, digital cooperation, and peace and security. Building on four decades of experience, we will keep working with partners to rethink cooperation models, address structural inequalities and develop genuine, mutually beneficial partnerships between Europe, its neighbours and developing countries.
From our foundation to a leading think and do tank
ECDPM was established in Maastricht in 1986 to help bridge the gap between European decision makers and partners in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific, by providing independent analysis and facilitating dialogue. Over time, the organisation expanded both its thematic scope and its geographical reach, opening a second office in Brussels to be close to EU institutions and other international partners. The Centre has built a reputation as a non‑partisan, strategic “think and do tank” that combines policy research, advice, facilitation and long‑term engagement with key institutions.
“ECDPM provides a model for making a values-based EU approach to international relations practical, implementable and appreciated across regions and classes of actors – it acts as a soft power multiplier.” - External evaluation, 2026Evolving with the global agenda
Across these 40 years, ECDPM’s work has followed and anticipated shifts in the global development landscape, from traditional aid relationships to broader, interest‑based international partnerships. Its teams have worked on issues such as EU foreign and development policy, AU‑EU relations, migration and mobility, peace and security, economic transformation, food systems, climate and energy, governance and digital cooperation. What has remained constant is a focus on African regional and continental organisations, European institutions and other partners, helping them navigate complex policy processes and translate commitments into practice.
Watch our anniversary interview series
We interviewed African ex-Prime Ministers, top EU civil servants and global experts on 40 years of ECDPM, the challenges facing international cooperation and what should come next to build global prosperity. Find the full playlist here.
