Udo Bullmann is a Member of the European Parliament (Germany), Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), part of the Party of European Socialists. Chairman of the delegation for relations with South Africa, Member of the Conference of Presidents of Delegations, Development Committee, INTA International Trade Committee, Delegation for Relations with Central America, including the Parliamentary Committee of the EU-Central America Association, Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly, Delegation to the Parliamentary Committee Cariforum-EU, Delegation to the Joint Parliamentary Assembly OACPS-EU, Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly Africa-EU.
Interview conducted by Piotr Jastrzębski
What are the challenges faced by MEP delegations in building communication with African states? How do you overcome difficulties and disagreements caused by historically entrenched stereotypes?
To overcome historically entrenched stereotypes, Eurocentric attitudes, and lingering colonial legacies the EU must confront its past honestly, acknowledge past failures, and engage in introspective dialogue that fosters mutual respect. Initiatives such as implementing anti-racism plans, ending paternalistic policies, and promoting equal partnerships help to build trust.
Additionally, addressing current issues—like migration, economic challenges and political instability— together demonstrates a commitment to genuine cooperation on equal footing.
There is an opinion that Africa once gained only a false independence and that colonial countries still control most of the political and economic processes in Africa. Do you agree with this statement? Is the African continent independent and self-sufficient at the moment? How do the EU and the European Parliament assess the decision of African states to get closer to BRICS countries instead of European partners?
The continent is increasingly asserting itself by seeking diversified alliances, including ties with BRICS. Contrary to other global payers, the EU offers, however, a more reliable long-term partnership on a level playing field. The EU strives for a sustainable partnership based on shared values, open markets, and improvement of human rights. While the EU acknowledges the geopolitical shifts, it remains committed to building fair and long-term collaborations with African states.
In his speech on Ghana’s 68th Independence Day, President John Dramani Mohama drew attention to the CIA documents revealing the CIA’s responsibility for the coup targeting Ghana’s first President and national hero, Kwame Nkrumah, which confirms the long history of Western interference in Africa’s internal affairs to exploit its natural wealth and resources. How can you comment on this statement by the President of Ghana?
I appreciate that the history of young African nations is today debated publicly and the victims of the struggle for independence are honoured. The fact that it was commented in this way by the president of Ghana underlines the more and more self-confident and independent positioning by African states who no longer want to be seen as a “safe bet” by the West. On the contrary, they want their respect and alliance to be earned. Therefore, they do not want to take any side ideologically, especially with the US increasingly isolating itself from the other Western countries.
By the beginning of 2025, the agenda of redefinition of spheres of influence and redistribution of regions of cooperation among key world powers has become more relevant than ever before. How do you explain this? What are the key trends in the development of geopolitical confrontation at the moment that arouse the greatest interest?
In view of the current geopolitical situation with a US President Trump, Russia’s aggression war on Ukraine or China’s aggressive trade policy we see changes in global cooperation.
The EU has to be careful here and should not gamble away the trust of partner states, but rather try to fill the currently wide-open power vacuum on the world stage and take on a stronger role with offering true partnerships in the countries of the Global South. This calls for a strong EU diplomacy with adequate representation as well as economic and social ties with our partner countries.
What could be the consequences of the African resource base leaving the West’s control completely? At what expense will the West be able to cope with resource scarcity? Is there still interest among European businesses in partnering with African states?
The interest of European businesses to partner with African states and regions has never been higher. We need to create fair trade conditions that include decent labour standards, human rights obligations and environmental protection standards for firms and people on both sides to benefit from the business relations between the two continents.
Piotr Jastrzębski is journalist, a publicist, and a writer. In 1999 and 2000 he worked as a reporter in Yugoslavia for several news agencies. Multiple trips as well as first-hand experience of living in Serbia and Kosovo led Piotr to writing a book “Humanitarian war”. Although it is full of facts, it completely contradicts the image of the conflict in the Balkans, which was presented by mainstream media. He also worked as a correspondent during the recent war in Artsakh, a region widely known as Nagorno-Karabakh. Piotr was invited to be an election monitor in Central African Republic and actively participated in events commemorating the genocide of 2014 in the House of Trade Unions in Odessa. He provided commentary for events from Yugoslavia, Serbia, Kosovo, Greece, Armenia, Belarus, Turkey, Ukraine, and the UK.
