The Addis Ababa and Brussels Offices of the Bahá’í International Community (BIC) have the pleasure of sharing with you some reflections in light of the 11th AU-EU Commission-to-Commission meeting taking place in Brussels today. These reflections concern more specifically the framework of engagement between the two continents.

• Acknowledging the history of the partnership: The ability of the partnership to break away from unfitting models of engagement and to offer solutions to the challenges faced by both continents will partly depend on the extent to which the historical context of the partnership is acknowledged and acted upon. The value of doing so goes beyond the important and necessary relational repair. It provides a deeper understanding of the current reality and allows for lessons to be incorporated in the development of new models of engagement. 

• Building a common vision: It is not uncommon that in a partnership various parties and stakeholders have different understandings as to its purpose and objectives. They may even have diverging or conflicting motivations for engagement. This is true for any type of relationship, but even more so when two entire continents are concerned. Reconciling competing interests by elaborating a common vision of the long term and mutually beneficial objectives of the partnership is crucial. Otherwise, the partnership will remain limited in its efficiency or worse, benefit some at the expense of others. 

• Creating ongoing mechanisms for engagement, including with local communities at the grassroots: The formulation of a common vision will depend on the willingness of all parties to learn from and with each other. A joint process of learning will need to be put into place and incorporate insights generated in both continents - from the highest levels of government to the grassroots, and in particular from young people. We therefore warmly welcome the efforts that are being made to ensure that the partnership is characterized by a format that allows for a more open engagement between both continents and with civil society. The participation of a variety of grassroots actors ensures that policy and strategy made at the intercontinental level is increasingly consonant with the reality of communities and societies on the ground. Identifying which mechanisms and spaces allow for meaningful and ongoing engagement of all levels will require continuous creativity and an in-depth consideration of the role each actor plays in identifying the priorities and thematic areas of the partnership. 

• Broadening the sources of contributions: A related element needed to enable joint learning is broadening the sources of knowledge required to address the challenges of both continents. While technical expertise, research and quantitative data are critical in finding solutions, other sources of knowledge, such as those from the lived experience, capacities and strengths of communities, must feed into the partnership. 

The stage of social development humanity finds itself in requires reshaping our current governance models, so that common challenges can be addressed jointly by all parts of the world. We wish you a successful AU-EU Commission-to-Commission meeting.