Monica Juma urges Europe to build equal partnerships with Africa

Monica Juma, the Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has urged Europe to forge equal partnerships with Africa, emphasizing that Europe's future is intrinsically linked to events beyond its borders. At the European Forum Alpbach 2026 in Austria on August 31, 2026, Juma argued that Europe should focus on the prospects and obstacles emerging in the Global South, particularly in Africa.

She urged a shift away from traditional aid-centric models towards partnerships where both parties play a more active role in shaping priorities and investments. Juma advocated for "equity, not loans; investments, not grants; and co-creation, not solutions imposed from above." This call for change aligns with Europe's efforts to fortify ties with African nations in sectors like infrastructure, energy, technology, and critical minerals.

Initiatives such as the European Union's Global Gateway and the Horizon Europe Africa Initiative IV exemplify this push for greater collaboration. Juma highlighted the complementary strengths of Europe's capabilities, leadership, and resources alongside the United Nations' global reach, legitimacy, and convening power. Her insights, informed by her extensive background in Kenyan government and international diplomacy, underscored the importance of addressing shared challenges through joint efforts.

Juma's remarks, delivered during a discussion on Europe's capacity to act at the forum, emphasized that Europe's security and prosperity are inextricably tied to global developments, necessitating collaborative efforts to mitigate vulnerabilities beyond Europe's borders.