MWE Correspondent
Europe’s engagement with Africa is increasingly raising questions about democracy, human rights, political accountability and national sovereignty, particularly as European institutions incorporate governance standards into development partnerships and international cooperation agreements with African countries.
At the centre of the debate is a fundamental question: should European governments have a role in determining the political standards African countries must follow, or should African states independently determine their political systems while respecting international human rights obligations?
The European Union (EU) formally bases its international relations on democracy, the rule of law and respect for fundamental freedoms. Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union identifies these principles as central to the bloc’s external policy, providing a legal foundation for its engagement with partner countries.
This approach is also reflected in the Samoa Agreement, signed in November 2023 between the EU and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS). Provisionally applied from January 1, 2024, the agreement establishes human rights, democracy and governance as important areas of cooperation, alongside economic development, peace, security and migration.
For European institutions, linking political governance to international cooperation is part of promoting the values contained in their treaties and partnership agreements. However, the application of these principles raises questions about how political standards are assessed and whether external influence can sometimes conflict with the independence of partner countries.
Africa’s institutional position is not fundamentally opposed to democratic governance. The African Union’s Constitutive Act, adopted in 2000, establishes the defence of national sovereignty and the promotion of democratic institutions as complementary objectives.
Article 3 commits the African Union to defending the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its member states while promoting democratic principles, popular participation and good governance. Article 4 also recognises non-interference in the internal affairs of other member states, while affirming respect for human rights, democracy and the rule of law.
The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights further establishes that democratic accountability is connected to citizens’ fundamental freedoms. Article 9 protects freedom of expression and access to information, while Article 11 recognises the right to peaceful assembly, subject to necessary restrictions established by law.
This means sovereignty does not give governments unlimited authority over citizens or remove their responsibility to protect constitutional freedoms. Equally, international cooperation does not automatically give external governments authority to determine the domestic political direction of African countries.
The differences become particularly visible when examining the right to protest. In European political systems, peaceful demonstrations are recognised as an important mechanism through which citizens express dissatisfaction, challenge government decisions and demand political accountability. Article 12 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights protects freedom of assembly and association, while Article 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights provides additional protection.
However, European practice has also faced criticism over restrictions on peaceful demonstrations.
In a report published on July 8, 2024, Amnesty International examined the state of protest rights in 21 European countries, documenting restrictive legislation, excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests, prosecutions and surveillance targeting protesters.
The investigation covered countries including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, challenging the perception that European democracies have completely resolved the tensions between public order and freedom of assembly.
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Catrinel Motoc, Amnesty International’s Senior Campaigner in its Europe Regional Office, said: “The right to protest in Europe risks suffering death by a thousand cuts with people who take to the streets facing an avalanche of increasingly repressive restrictions, criminal sanctions, state violence, discrimination, and pervasive surveillance.”
Her assessment highlights an important contradiction in international political debates: governments that promote democratic freedoms abroad must also demonstrate their commitment to protecting those freedoms domestically.
Across Africa, restrictions on demonstrations, political expression and opposition activities remain significant challenges. Amnesty International’s report on Tanzania in 2025, for example, documented unlawful and lethal force against protesters during the election period, reporting hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries. These are findings attributed to the organisation and should be distinguished from independently established judicial conclusions.
Nevertheless, the existence of restrictions in Europe does not justify similar violations in Africa. Both regions have obligations to protect peaceful assembly and ensure that restrictions are lawful, necessary and proportionate.
The United Nations Human Rights Committee, in General Comment No. 37 on peaceful assembly, makes clear that authorities must justify restrictions and that prohibiting a particular assembly should be considered only as a last resort.
Africa’s own development framework also demonstrates that democratic governance is not simply a European expectation. The African Union’s Agenda 2063 identifies good governance, democracy, respect for human rights, justice and the rule of law as the continent’s third major aspiration. It envisions stronger institutions, accountable leadership and greater participation of citizens in political and economic development.
The wider debate, therefore, concerns consistency, political influence and the balance of power in international partnerships. European institutions have the right to uphold the principles contained in agreements they negotiate with African countries. African governments, meanwhile, have the right to defend their sovereignty and pursue development priorities without inappropriate external interference.
However, the credibility of both positions depends on implementation. European governments cannot convincingly demand stronger protection of protest rights abroad while overlooking restrictions within their own jurisdictions. Similarly, African governments cannot invoke sovereignty to avoid accountability for violations of citizens’ constitutional and internationally recognised rights.
Ultimately, the future of Africa-Europe relations will depend on whether both sides can build partnerships based on mutual respect, democratic accountability and consistent application of human rights standards. The central issue should not be whether Africa must copy Europe’s political systems, but whether governments in both regions can guarantee citizens the freedoms, participation and accountability that democratic governance requires.
