The Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, is accompanying the President.

President Ramaphosa has been invited by the Chairperson of the AU Commission to participate in the summit.

The summit will hold an opening ceremony, which will be followed by seven thematic roundtables in which leaders will exchange views and commitments on:

• financing for sustainable and inclusive growth
• climate change and energy transition, digital and transport [connectivity and infrastructure]
• peace, security and governance
• private-sector support and economic integration
• education, culture and vocational training, migration and mobility
• agriculture and sustainable development
• health systems and vaccine production.

President Ramaphosa will participate in the climate change and energy transition, digital and transport roundtable on 17 February and will chair the roundtable on health systems and vaccine production on 18 February 2022.

The strategic partnership between Africa and the EU

The strategic partnership between Africa and the EU was initiated through the first AU-EU Summit in Cairo, Egypt, in 2000.