BRUSSELS — European Union’s sway over African affairs, particularly in North Africa, is diminishing as Russia and Turkey, among other nations, strengthen their foothold, according to Josep Borrell, the head of European diplomacy. This shift marks a significant change in regional dynamics where EU’s historical influence is being overshadowed by more assertive international engagements from these countries.
According to Burkina Information Agency, Borrell highlighted the evolving geopolitical landscape in Africa, reminiscing about a time when French and Italian presence in Libya symbolized European involvement. “When I arrived in Brussels, the French and Italians were in Libya. They didn’t always get along with each other, but they were there. Today there are no more Europeans in Libya – only Turks and Russians,” Borrell stated, pointing out the current absence of European powers in critical areas of North Africa.
The decline of EU influence, Borrell noted, has left a vacuum that has quickly been filled by nations like Turkey, Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, who have actively enhanced their economic and political ties with North Africa and beyond. This shift comes as European efforts to establish a semblance of order along the African coast of the Mediterranean have waned.
In response to these developments, the European Commission, led by President Ursula von der Leyen, is making strategic adjustments. EUobserver recalls von der Leyen’s proposal to create a new European Commissioner post dedicated to the Mediterranean, emphasizing the EU’s prioritization of strengthening ties with North African countries as a countermeasure to growing external influences.