Europe should recognize Africa's global importance and the current turning point in its economic history, act accordingly and make better offers in the face of growing competition. The loss of trust between the two continents should be mitigated by honoring (financial) commitments, reviewing frameworks, sharing data and recognizing respective interests. Both sides should move beyond a transactional approach to economic cooperation. Compared to competitors, sustainability could be Europe's global unique selling point.

African governments must ensure through appropriate reforms that economic growth benefits the broader population and reaches people beyond the political and economic elites. Africa should speak with a unified voice on the international stage and further strengthen the pan-African trade and regulatory framework to increase confidence and planning certainty for external actors. Multilateral bodies such as the G7, G20, and financial institutions must give Africa a seat at the table as a full member or a member with greater decision-making power. Europe must acknowledge the adverse impact of the regulatory framework on economic partnerships.

The focus of partners on both sides must shift from extracting raw materials to creating sustainable value chains and local production in proven as well as innovative high-tech sectors. Debt servicing and high risk premiums should be offset by credit rating reforms and data sharing to provide African states with access to affordable financing. Foreign direct investment should be encouraged through more public guarantees from sovereigns and development banks. SME finance needs more technical advisory and intermediary capacity to ensure implementation on the ground.