The Foreign Affaris Council, 15.05.2017 will take stock of the implementation of the EU Global Strategy in the area of security and defence, in particular on the civilian aspects. Defence ministers will also have a discussion on this topic at the Foreign Affairs Council (Defence) on 18 May.

The Council will discuss the situation in the Horn of Africa, a region facing destabilisation, in particular in Somalia and South Sudan. The discussion is expected to focus on the political and security challenges, including the implications of the situation in the wider region, across the Red Sea.

The Council will examine EU-Africa relations based on a joint communication by the High Representative and the Commission for a renewed impetus of the Africa-EU Partnership. The discussion will feed into the preparation of the EU-Africa Summit in November.

Foreign Affairs ministers will have a lunch discussion with Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission who took office on 14 March 2017.

Foreign ministers will also review the Eastern Partnership ahead of the Eastern Partnership ministerial meeting on 19 June in Luxembourg and the Eastern Partnership Summit foreseen on 24 November in Brussels.