What should Austria’s next Africa Strategy actually deliver?

Sophia Stanger is a Senior Project Manager at the Austrian Centre for Peace and is leading the focal topic of Environmental Peacebuilding. Her expertise lies in the intersection of environment/climate and conflict resolution approaches. 

Jihane Karimou is a Master’s student in Environmental Technologies and International Affairs at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna and TU Wien. She is currently Secretary of the Africa Society at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna, where she organises discussions and cultural events connecting African and European stakeholders. 

The interview was conducted by Miriam Mona Mukalazi (VIDC).

Sophia: There are many examples – one of which is the HAWA programme.  HAWA -‘Preparedness for Humanitarian Assistance and Peacebuilding in West Africa’ - is an example of a whole-of-government approach, in which different ministries and civil society actors work together to achieve greater impact. It strengthens humanitarian and peacebuilding actors in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo and Côte d’Ivoire, enabling them to manage crises in a more prepared, coordinated and effective manner. The programme aims to ensure that emergency and disaster relief is implemented in a gender-responsive, conflict-sensitive and climate-sensitive way, while simultaneously promoting conflict resolution mechanisms. What makes it unique is that it brings together people from civil society, government authorities and the security sector (military and police). The programme is jointly implemented by the Austrian Centre for Peace (ACP), the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), CARE Austria and CARE International in Ghana, and is funded by International Partnerships Austria.

Jihane: One of them is digital sovereignty. Much cooperation focuses on infrastructure and connectivity, but far less attention is paid to who controls data and how technologies are developed. Currently, only a very small share of global data used to train AI systems comes from Africa, meaning these technologies often fail to reflect African realities and contexts. This is why African states are increasingly calling for stronger local control over data, alongside greater investment in local digital ecosystems and skills.

Sophia: The planetary crisis is shaping both current and future humanitarian crises and is also a major driver of conflict. We should therefore pay greater attention to climate and environmental factors in humanitarian assistance and peacebuilding. Particularly in regions severely affected by the climate crisis, peacebuilding must be ecological if it is to be effective in the long term. In these contexts, climate and environmental issues are often closely linked to conflict dynamics. When it comes to environmental peacebuilding, it is crucial to recognise that people of different genders are affected differently by crises and conflicts. Disaster risk reduction must therefore be gender-sensitive if it is to be truly effective in saving lives. Another aspect that receives too little attention is the role of traditional authorities, such as local chiefs, which is often underestimated. These individuals and their communities should be more closely involved in local disaster preparedness.

Jihane: Finally, I think the issue of colonial reparations and historical justice is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Recent discussions at the United Nations have given new momentum to this debate, raising questions of accountability, restitution and structural inequalities. It remains politically sensitive in Europe, but it directly affects trust and perceptions. Even without immediate policy changes, it will shape the broader political narrative of Africa–Europe relations.

Jihane: I think African states are approaching these partnerships in a pragmatic and strategic way. The objective is not to align with one bloc, but to diversify relationships and use them to advance their own development priorities. In practice, this means working with different partners for different needs: China is often engaged for infrastructure, India for pharmaceuticals and digital services, and Gulf states for investment and energy. This allows governments to align external cooperation with national priorities such as industrialisation and technological development.

At the same time, there is a stronger emphasis on African agency. Through frameworks such as the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area, countries are increasingly seeking to shape the terms of engagement, particularly by promoting regional integration and local value creation. An important part of this shift is the growing focus on South–South cooperation. This includes stronger cooperation within Africa and expanding ties with other regions of the Global South. Initiatives such as the CELAC–Africa Summit illustrate a move towards more horizontal partnerships with Latin America and the Caribbean. I also think there is a growing recognition that Africa and Latin America share similar structural positions. Both are key targets for external actors due to their natural resources linked to the green transition, and both face similar challenges related to extractive models and colonial legacies. Geopolitically, many states are also adopting a strategy of multi-alignment, maintaining relations with different powers in order to preserve autonomy. However, this requires careful balancing, as diversification can also create new forms of dependency.

Overall, I believe African states are actively navigating a competitive global landscape to maximise benefits while maintaining autonomy.