BY MBONO MDLULI
EZULWINI – In what may come as a surprise to many Africans, Members of the European Parliament have openly acknowledged that Europe also faces growing threats to peace and stability and needs African leaders and parliamentarians to speak out against conflicts taking place on the European continent.
During discussions at the Africa-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly held on Monday, May 11, 2026 at the Ezulwini Palazzo International Convention Centre (ICC), European MPs stressed that peace and security are no longer challenges affecting only Africa, but have become global concerns requiring collective action and international solidarity.
One European parliamentarian, speaking during the peace and security session, called for stronger cooperation between Africa and Europe in defending international law, human dignity and the sovereignty of nations amid increasing global instability.
The MP explained that, for much of her life, Europe had always appeared peaceful and secure. However, her perspective changed dramatically 12 years ago following the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, which was travelling from Amsterdam (The Netherlands) to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and was shot down, killing all 298 passengers and crew on board, including people from her hometown.
According to the parliamentarian, the tragedy marked the first time she realised that conflict and insecurity could directly affect Europe itself. She said concerns have grown even further since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago.
The speaker warned that the war’s effects extend beyond Ukraine, impacting the wider European continent through cyberattacks, misinformation campaigns and other forms of hybrid warfare. She noted that hospitals and institutions have increasingly become targets of cyberattacks, disrupting healthcare systems and threatening access to essential services and medicine.
She also expressed concern about the spread of misinformation and manipulation within media spaces, describing these developments as serious threats to democratic stability and public trust across Europe.
Despite these challenges, the parliamentarian emphasised that Africa and Europe remain closely interconnected and dependent on one another for global peace and stability.
“Europe needs Africa, and we need each other,” she said, urging African parliamentarians to speak out in support of peace and stability in Europe just as European leaders continue advocating for peace across the African continent.
The discussions formed part of broader engagements aimed at strengthening parliamentary diplomacy and cooperation between Africa and Europe in addressing shared security challenges and building long-term peace and prosperity for both continents.
