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Changing approaches to security / Other publications

What rol for Sub-Saharan Africa in Europe's energy policies

30/11/2009 By Richard Youngs

As in other policy areas, the Africa–EU partnership inaugurated in 2007 promises
a new beginning for energy relations between the two regions. A new beginning
designed to increase Europe’s access to sub-Saharan African energy sources, but also supposedly to ensure that in qualitative terms EU approaches to energy
security become more conducive to development.

This paper By Richard Youngs examines the three ostensibly core dimensions of Europe’s evolving policy in Africa. First, the incorporation of the continent into European external energy security policy. Second, the claimed coherence between development and energy security aims in Africa. And third, the governance dimensions of how energy sectors are managed in Africa. It highlights the incipient potential for an approach to energy that is sensitive to issues of development and good governance.

In this sense, Africa compares favourably to EU energy policies in
other regions. But the overall record is patchy. The paper puts forward five areas
of tension in EU policy that militate against an effective link between energy
security, development and governance policies.


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Keywords

Energy Security European Union Governance Sub-Saharan Africa

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Bio author: Richard Youngs

Democracy promotion. EU foreign policy.