EULUSO - EU External Relations with the Lusophone World

ended

This Module’s main objective is to examine the EU’s relations with the Lusophone world encompassing Angola, Brazil, Cabo Verde, East Timor, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, and Sao Tome and Principe. These states are institutionally organized in the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries (CPLP), which links 261 million people whose mother tongue is Portuguese. Due to historic roots and linguistic affinities, the Lusophone community also covers the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China. This Module will place emphasis on Lusophone Africa, Brazil, and the South Atlantic - a region where the EU’s relations with the Lusophone states have gained interesting geopolitical and geostrategic contours given the growing presence of extra-regional powers, such as China. With respect to these countries and regions, this Module will examine the various interactions and roles of the EU: as a soft and ‘Model’ power; a strategic and special partner (with Brazil and Cabo Verde, respectively) that promotes resilience and stability; and as a security and peace provider. Moreover, it will look at the opportunities laying ahead for the post-Brexit and post-COVID-19 EU to explore new approaches and strategies across the Lusophone community whilst enhancing its global actorness. Given Portugal’s traditional role as a bridge-builder between the EU and this community and priorities ascribed by Lisbon to some Lusophone countries during the Portuguese Presidencies of the EU Council (i.e.1992, 2000, 2007, and 2021), some past and current developments in Portugal’s foreign policy will receive particular attention. Planned activities designed for this Module should be viewed as a first step of a long-term project, which aims at creating sound expertise on the EU’s relations with the Lusophone community thereby filling a gap in the study of European Foreign Policy. In this innovative Module, teaching, research, and policy engagement will be closely linked.