Postbrexit Dynamics of Relations with Africa: EU, Africa, and the New Cotonou

Brexit has become the political version of an earthquake with long-term impacts on both the European Union and the United Kingdom. This work will focus on one of the main aspects where the influence of Brexit can be observed and is therefore significant for discussions about the future international political direction of the European Union. This aspect is the post-Brexit development of relations between the EU and the ACP (African, Caribbean, and Pacific) states, where the United Kingdom played a significant role almost from the very beginning, given its historical colonial context. While it is true that the UK was a significant member state within the European Union and was also one of the founding states, it cannot be overlooked that European integration efforts were never warmly embraced in Britain. While Brexit may not have been too surprising for some, its impact on the European Union certainly had the potential to be surprising. Through a discussion of the history of the development of these relationships and a comparative analysis of the Cotonou Agreement and the Samoa Agreement, this work will explore whether concerns about the position and influence of the EU are justified or not, and whether the European Union has indeed significantly weakened without Britain or not.