Since taking office, the new European Commission has repeatedly called for building a “true partnership of equals” with countries of origin and transit on the African continent, as part of its comprehensive approach to migration. However, in the past, EU migration management policies have not always lived up to this aim. EU partner countries have expressed frustration over the heavy focus given to restricting migratory flows, a growing use of conditionality, and the limited investment into legal pathways. This policy dialogue discussed the perspective of African countries of cooperation with the EU on migration, how the EU can promote a better partnership in the future, and its existing efforts on establishing legal pathways. The discussion also outlined how the external dimension of migration policy may be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the short and long term. This event also marked the launch of the 2020 MEDAM Assessment Report, ‘European and African perspectives on asylum and migration policy: Seeking common ground’. The report discusses the effectiveness of European approaches to increasing third countries’ readmission cooperation and calls on the EU to take greater account of third countries’ interests and perspectives in its migration policies.