With representatives from almost all Member States of the European Union and the African Union, this week's summit brought together almost 80 countries, with a total population of 1.8 billion people.

A statement afterwards speaks beautifully of a "common vision for the year 2030" and a "renewed partnership".

Vaccine help

Behind the beautiful words, however, there is a lot of squeaking.

Several African countries have pushed for patent protection to be lifted so that more people can manufacture vaccines against covid-19.

- It is not acceptable that Africa is always at the back of the queue.

We accept the support we receive, but it is not sustainable, says South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at one of the press conferences in Brussels.

However, the EU does not want to give in.

- I share the ambition that we must make the vaccine more accessible, but I believe in a different way forward, says Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson (S) at a Swedish press conference after the summit.

The EU route is instead to help with on-site production in Africa, where six countries have now been linked up to train in the development of modern mRNA vaccines.

Energy and migration

Another squeak is the energy and climate, where African countries with large natural resources such as coal, gas and oil want to use them.

Migration also creates problems, with constant EU demands that Africans without asylum must be taken back by their home countries.

- The return from Sweden must increase.

I will continue to vigorously pursue this issue in the EU in order to bring about several such agreements, states Magdalena Andersson.

Tax issues for dinner

Leader after leader also emphasizes the usefulness of the summit and the good relations in general.

The meeting itself is a way to bring the countries and leaders closer together, with dinner discussions and roundtable discussions.

- We sit and discuss with each other.

We are all heads of state and government.

We all have similar problems that we struggle with: how do you gift-wise answer questions from journalists?

How do you get governments together?

How do you win elections ?, states the Prime Minister.

She herself devoted the dinner on Thursday to, among other things, discussing tax administration in Botswana with the country's president Mokgweetsi Masisi.

- We have had very good and constructive conversations - and also had a lot of fun together, says Magdalena Andersson in Brussels.