Advancing African-European Partnership

Africa and Europe work better together. Business is where that happens.

Meridian17 is a think and do tank focused on the business of Africa-Europe partnership. We research what holds it back, build tools that help it move forward, and make the case that business belongs at the centre of this conversation.

Our research → What we do →

17° — the meridian connecting both continents

Missing Middle · Global Gateway · EU Policy Monitor · Podcast

01 / Why we exist

Why we exist

There is a missing middle in how we think about Africa-Europe cooperation.

Most think tanks approach this relationship through the lens of policy or development. Neither puts business at the centre - yet business is where policy either works or doesn't. GDP, employment, investment: these are all measures of how well business operates. We call this gap the Missing Middle, and it is what Meridian17 is here to address.

As a first step in mapping this landscape systematically, we have built a live coverage analysis of six leading think tanks — showing how far each engages with the themes that matter most to Africa-Europe business.

Read our paper on the Missing Middle → Explore the think tank coverage map →

Figure 01 The Missing Middle — think tank landscape map Meridian17

Position approximate · focus-based

02 / In development

Work in progress

Introducing the Africa–Europe Business Navigator

This is a concept, not yet a finished tool. The Africa–Europe Business Navigator is one of the projects we are most excited about, and we are actively seeking funding to develop it into a fully functioning resource. The vision: a guided, interactive tool to help African businesses understand what engaging with European partners actually requires in practice, from regulatory standards to practical first steps. Once developed, we plan to follow it with a companion tool for European businesses navigating the African market.

See the concept →

Concept preview

03 / New tool

New tool

Every EU Global Gateway project in Africa, on one map.

The Global Gateway Initiative is the EU's flagship infrastructure strategy. We have mapped all 93 confirmed projects across 32 African countries so you can see what is announced, what is funded, and what is being built — filtered by pillar, phase, and investment scale.

Explore the tracker → What is the Global Gateway? →

Projects tracked

Countries

GGI Pillars

€300B+

GGI total

04 / Our work

Our work

What we do

Three practices, one thesis. Research, tools and conversation — each designed to move the Africa-Europe business partnership from the margins of the conversation to its centre.

Research01

Business-centred analysis of Africa-Europe cooperation

We research what holds the partnership back - from risk penalties and investment barriers to the cultural gaps that policy frameworks cannot fix alone.

Our research agenda →

Tools02

Practical resources for businesses navigating the partnership

The EU-Africa Business Navigator helps African businesses understand the European regulatory landscape and find the right entry points for partnership.

Try the navigator →

Podcast03

Conversations that turn research into action

Our podcast series brings researchers, policymakers and business leaders together to discuss what the evidence shows and what needs to change.

Listen now →

05 / Current work

Current work

What we are working on

Published

The Missing Middle

Why the study and support of business needs to be included in the African-European focused think tank landscape.

Research agenda

Research Programme 2026-2027

Five priority topics spanning the Global Gateway, investment risk penalties, business flows, cultural barriers, and shared values.

In progress

German business sentiment on South Africa

A new research project examining how German businesses perceive and experience the South African market - currently in development.

06 / EU Policy Monitor

EU Policy Monitor

What Brussels is saying about Africa

Latest European Parliament coverage filtered daily for Africa relevance.

See all EU policy coverage →

Apr

Parliament debates Global Gateway progress

External Relations · Press release

Press

Apr

Commission announces €450m Africa-EU green hydrogen fund

Development · Statement

Development

Apr

MEPs question Italian Mattei Plan overlap with Global Gateway

Foreign affairs · Committee

Foreign

Apr

EU-SA trade dialogue reconvenes after 18-month gap

Trade · Press release

Trade

Apr

Von der Leyen previews Africa strategy update at AU summit

Journalism in Africa: press freedom, media economics, and the European gaze

Ten episodes examining press freedom, the economics of journalism, disinformation, and how African and European media ecosystems relate to each other. Hosted by Georja Calvin-Smith, anchor of France 24's Eye on Africa.

Listen to the series →

08 / Our experts

Our experts