Catholic bishops from Africa and Europe have sharply criticised the European Union’s current trajectory in its relationship with the African continent, warning of a disturbing shift away from solidarity and justice.
Ahead of the EU Foreign Ministers’ Meeting set for May 21 in Brussels, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) called out what they see as a dangerous return to “patterns of the past.”
“Basic foundations of life – land, water, seeds, and minerals – have once again become commodities for foreign profit,” the statement declared.
The bishops argue that the EU’s growing emphasis on geopolitical self-interest, particularly under the guise of “green” energy and environmental policy, is coming at the expense of African ecosystems and communities.
They point to so-called eco-projects that result in land grabs, toxic chemical dumping, and exploitation of Africa’s resources to support Europe’s decarbonisation goals.
“Africa does not need charity,” the bishops insist. “It needs justice.”
Citing Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’, the bishops urged EU leaders to heed “the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor” and to end the “double standard” where hazardous pesticides banned in Europe are still exported to Africa.
Their message to the ministers is clear: put African dignity and sovereignty first, support farmer-led seed systems, and treat African civil society and Indigenous peoples not as symbolic participants, but as “equal co-creators of policy.”
The joint appeal signals rising frustration from African religious leaders over the EU’s exploitation disguised as partnership—and a call for a new era grounded in respect, justice, and shared humanity.
