1. EU – AU dialogue and institutional relations
Brazzaville communiqué and the launch of a joint Strategy
The 7th EU-Africa Ministerial Troika Meeting took place in Brazzaville (Congo) on 8-10 October. Discussions focused on the preparation of the joint EU-Africa strategy and in this context the ministers agreed to expedite work towards the holding of the second Europe-Africa Summit in Lisbon in 2007. A consultation will be launched in all areas relevant to the Joint Strategy. The ministers also had an extensive discussion of conflict situations, in particular in the Sudan and Somalia. The ministers agreed to hold the EU-Africa conference on Migration and Development in Tripoli, Libya, on 22-23 November 2006 and underlined the necessity of thorough preparation of this event.
Final Communique:
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/06/st13/st13823.en06.pdf
2. EU-South Africa Strategic Partnership
In June 2006 – pursuing the agreement reached at the EU-South Africa Joint Cooperation Council in 2005 – the Commission put forward a Communication on a partnership between the EU and South Africa proposing a comprehensive, coherent and coordinated long-term framework for political cooperation, which does justice to South Africa’s and the EU’s unique positions in the new, globalised world. The objectives of this Partnership were planned to be achieved via an Action Plan to be submitted to the Joint EU-South Africa Cooperation Council on 14 November 2006, eventually leading to the adoption of a Joint Declaration by both Parties. The GAERC of 16/17 October had to adopt Council Conclusions providing general orientations on this matter. Delays have however been encountered.
Conclusions of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council on South Africa (16-17 October 2006)
The Council welcomed the Commission’s communication and stressed that the strategic partnership between the EU and South Africa shall be complementary to and fully consistent with the EU Strategy for Africa. It is envisaged that the existing cooperation between the EU and South Africa will be enhanced by moving from political dialogue to shared objectives and strategic political cooperation on regional, African and global issues including conflict prevention and resolution in Africa.
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/06/st14/st14094.en06.pdf
Conclusions of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council on South Africa (13 November 2006)
The Council reached political agreement on the following draft decisions: a decision authorising the opening of negotiations with South Africa in order to revise the EU-South Africa agreement on trade, development and cooperation; a decision giving guidance to the Commission for the revision of the agreement on trade, development and cooperation. Both decisions will be formally adopted at a forthcoming Council meeting.
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/gena/91667.pdf
European Parliament resolution on an EU-South Africa Strategic Partnership
The Parliament welcomed the Commission’s approach but urged it not to insist on including in the revised TDCA elements which would hamper South African economic development or the struggle for poverty alleviation, not to interfere in South Africa’s decisions regarding the participation of the private sector in the provision of basic services and to draw lessons from the failure of the SACU-US free trade negotiations, in which the USA tried to impose unacceptable conditions on SACU.
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP//TEXT+TA+P6-TA-2006-0430+0+DOC+XML+V0//EN〈uage=EN
3. EU partnership for the Horn of Africa
New EU partnership for the Horn of Africa
The European Commission adopted on the 20 October an “EU partnership for peace, security and development in the Horn of Africa.” This strategy sets out a comprehensive approach to conflict prevention in the Horn of Africa, tackling the root causes of instability, and provides a political framework for concrete regional initiatives and for structured dialogue between partners.
http://www.europe-cares.org/africa/partnership_horn_en.html
“New EU strategy targets Horn of Africa instability”
This article describes the new strategy as more of a diagnosis than a cure. It also stresses the importance of the genuine support of all seven countries included in the strategy for it to have any chance of succeeding. http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=287365&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/
British Parliamentarian delegation Calls on International Community to Pay Attention to Peace, Stability in the Horn of Africa
http://allafrica.com/stories/200611010946.html
4. The EU Strategy for Africa and the drafting of a joint EU/Africa Strategy
Conclusions of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council on the EU Strategy for Africa, 16-17 October 2006
The Council held an exchange of views on implementation of the EU Strategy for Africa, on the basis of a report by high representative Javier Solana and commissioner Louis Michel. It requested member states to provide input for a comprehensive report to be made, so as to enable the European Council to review the strategy’s implementation at its meeting on 14 and 15 December. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/gena/91351.pdf
Review of the implementation of the EU Strategy for Africa by the European Council in December 2006
A comprehensive report prepared by the European Commission and General Secretariat of the Council on the implementation of the EU Strategy for Africa will be discussed during the Council. It will take stock of the progress made and summarise the main actions taken at Community and Common Foreign and Security Policy level to implement the Strategy as well as include the activities of individual Member States.
A first Progress Report on Community Action has been prepared by the EC and the Council Secretariat and presented to the October GAERC. It includes the progresses made at the Community level to implement the EU Strategy towards Africa.
http://www.europe-cares.org/africa/docs/061012_FINAL_VERSION.pdf
Progress Report on the implementation of the EU Strategy for Africa: EU Factsheet
http://www.europe-cares.org/africa/docs/Fact_sheet_Strategy_for_Africa.pdf
5. Other Relevant Information
First EU-Africa business forum (Brussels, 16-17 November 2006)
The forum, aimed at laying a more prolonged and open dialogue between the private sector in Africa and the EU, is foreseen in the EU Strategy for Africa. The Forum may become an annual event, like the similar Forums that exist already for cooperation between the private sectors in Europe and Asia and Latin America, for instance.
http://www.europe-cares.org/africa/business_forum_en.html
http://www.eudevdays.eu
EU General Affairs and External Relations Council Conclusions on the EU Africa Partnership on Infrastructure
The Council emphasised the importance of infrastructure, the related services and the regulatory framework for sustainable economic growth, trade, employment creation, continental and regional integration, food security and poverty reduction and recalled the contribution that improved infrastructure can make to the achievement of the MDGs.
http://register.consilium.europa.eu/pdf/en/06/st14/st14032.en06.pdf
Paper on The EU’s New Strategy for Africa: Real and Effective Multilateralism? by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Brussels ’ Working Group on European Integration
This paper analyses if the EU Strategy for Africa is able to meet the criticism and how better efficiency of employed means, more efficient efforts and thus a quicker accomplishment of set goals can be achieved.
The paper should be soon available on FES website: www.fes.de
Source: EU-Africa e-alert – No. 3 / November 2006
