Africa is set to be the largest beneficiary of the European Union's external action budget for 2028–2034, with a proposed €58.4 billion ($68.35 billion) in funding.

The money will come from the new Global Europe instrument, which aims to consolidate the EU's foreign policy funding into a single tool.

The funds will support key sectors in Africa like transport and help boost local economies to dissuade illegal migrants from leaving for Europe.

The proposals are contained in budgetary allocations unveiled in July, where the EU outlined a total budget of €200.3 billion ($234 billion) to finance its foreign policy priorities over seven years.

Africa is set to receive the largest share, with €58.4 billion earmarked, followed by €35.6 billion ($41 billion) for the Neighbourhood, €32.6 billion ($38.15 billion) for Enlargement countries, €17.9 billion ($20.95 billion) for Asia and the Pacific, and €9.6 billion ($11.23 billion) for the Americas and the Caribbean.

Additional priorities include migration and forced displacement, climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity protection, and trade and investment partnerships under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy.

The proposal explicitly links the funding to migration management, stating it will “fight the root causes of irregular migration, forced displacement and instability.”The EU Commission said the Africa envelope will help deliver projects in energy, digital networks, transport, health, education, and research, which are meant to strengthen both Africa’s development and Europe’s strategic interests.“The instrument should contribute to the objectives of the Union’s external action, by promoting mutually beneficial partnerships with partner countries, contributing simultaneously to the sustainable development of partner countries and to the Union’s strategic interests,” states the proposal.

The Africa pillar covers all countries on the continent, with specific programming to be designed at national, regional, and continental levels.

The proposal lists the geographic scope, which includes North African states such as Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, sub-Saharan countries from Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Ghana, and Senegal, to smaller island states such as Mauritius, Seychelles, and Cape Verde.

This new framework, which runs from January 2028 to December 2034, will replace existing tools. The EU is prioritising flexibility, including a €20 billion reserve to respond to unforeseen crises.“This reserve builds on lessons from the 2021–2027 cycle, during which earlier funds were quickly depleted due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and migration pressures.”

They note that with humanitarian needs at record levels, the proposed €17 billion humanitarian aid allocation may not be enough.

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