Policy project: France’s role and agenda in Africa-EU relations

More than twenty documented disinformation campaigns have reportedly targeted 28 African countries over the last eight years. Indeed, Russia has pioneered a model of disinformation that is currently being replicated by other local and foreign actors.The EU is Africa’s first commercial partner, investor and donor, yet African civil society is mostly not aware of it. In the meantime, less invested actors make use of disinformation campaigns to improve their reputation and gain higher political influence. Disinformation campaigns have negative consequences on Africa and Europe. Within the African continent, they fuel political instability by denigrating democratically elected leaders, discrediting journalists and promoting military juntas. On the other hand, they hamper Europe’s future projects with Africa at a time when opportunities for change are high. To mitigate the negative consequences of active and passive disinformation, the EU should act collectively as Team Europe, improve its communication and adopt a solid strategy to tackle disinformation in Africa.

Cecilia Vidotto Labastie is the Europe Programme Officer at the Institut Montaigne. Her research focuses on Africa-Europe relations and EU foreign policy, with an eye on the MENA region.

Before joining the Institut Montaigne, Cecilia worked in Beirut and Brussels for the International Center for Transitional Justice. Previously, she specialized in topics related to EU-Africa relations at the European External Action Service’s MENA unit and the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank.

Cecilia holds an MA in EU International Relations and Diplomacy Studies from the College of Europe where she wrote a thesis on the coherence of EU migration policies towards the Mediterranean region. During her trilingual master’s program in MENA politics and European affairs at Sciences Po Bordeaux, she also graduated from the University of Turin.

(As of July 2022)