BRUSSELS — The European Union and the African Union on Monday signed a sweeping migration and investment agreement that leaders on both sides described as a historic reset of relations between the two continents. The deal, finalized after more than two years of intensive negotiations, was signed at a ceremony in Brussels attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat.

Under the terms of the pact, the EU will commit €45 billion over the next decade toward infrastructure, renewable energy, and job creation programs across sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on the Sahel region, the Horn of Africa, and North Africa. In return, African Union member states have agreed to strengthen cooperation on border management, accept the return of migrants whose asylum claims are rejected, and participate in a new legal migration framework that will create up to 300,000 work visas annually for African nationals.

The agreement comes as migration has remained one of the most politically explosive issues in European politics. Far-right parties have continued to gain ground across the continent, and several EU member states had been pushing for a more transactional approach to relations with African nations. Diplomats involved in the talks said the deal was nearly derailed multiple times over disagreements about return policies and the conditions attached to funding.

"This is not a deal where one side wins and the other loses," von der Leyen said at the signing ceremony. "It is a partnership built on mutual respect and shared interest." Faki Mahamat echoed the sentiment but cautioned that implementation would be the true test, noting that previous pledges of European investment in Africa had often fallen short of their targets.

Human rights organizations offered a cautious welcome but raised concerns about the return provisions, warning that some migrants could be sent back to countries where they face persecution. Amnesty International called on both blocs to ensure robust monitoring mechanisms. Meanwhile, several African heads of state, including those from Nigeria, Kenya, and Senegal, praised the legal migration pathways as a long-overdue recognition of Africa's young and growing workforce.

Analysts said the deal reflected a broader geopolitical competition for influence in Africa, where China, Russia, Turkey, and Gulf states have all deepened their engagement in recent years. The EU's willingness to commit significant financial resources signals an effort to reassert its relevance on the continent at a time when Western influence has faced growing skepticism among African publics and leaders alike.