ECDPM aims to share information on the EU-Africa Strategy negotiations, on related events and positions of civil society representatives as well as provide some analysis on the progress of the negotiations and outcome of the Summit. Click here for a brief introduction of the process. Apart from this bulletin, see also: www.europafrica.org
This is the thirteenth issue of the Europafrica bulletin (click here for the previous issues), which will give you an up-date on the public consultation for a joint EU-Africa Strategy. The bulletin is issued 1-2 times per month. Subscribe by sending an e-mail to: europafrica@ecdpm.org
News:
Joint EU-Africa Strategy adopted at Summit
The Joint Strategy and Action Plan were adopted at the EU-Africa Summit on 9 December in Lisbon. In the Lisbon Declaration African and European leaders declare that they “are determined to give the new strategic partnership the necessary means and instruments that will enable it to fulfil the Joint Strategy and the Action Plan, and to do so we have created a comprehensive and effective follow-up mechanism that can deliver on these goals and show us the results on the occasion of the Third Summit that shall be held in 2010″.
They also state that they are “resolved to build a new strategic political partnership for the future, overcoming the traditional donor-recipient relationship and building on common values and goals in our pursuit of peace and stability, democracy and rule of law, progress and development.”
Lisbon Declaration – html ; pdf
Joint Strategy and Action Plan – pdf
Summit characterized by disputes on trade and human rights
The EU-Africa Summit ended on Sunday with the approval of the Joint Strategy and the Lisbon Declaration. Several issues were however disputed during the summit, including on trade. BBC reports that Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade said that “We are not talking any more about EPAs, we’ve rejected them.”
Human rights were also a contested issue. Germany’s Angela Merkel spoke out against Mugabe on behalf of the EU. In her speech she challenged African leaders to confront abuses on their doorsteps. “The current state of Zimbabwe damages the image of the new Africa.”
Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates, said it was an achievement in itself that the meeting had taken place.
Read more.
Konaré happy with civil representation at summit
Alpha Omar Konaré, president of the African Commission said at the press conference that closed the work sessions of the second EU-Africa Summit, that he was very happy with the fact that there are “many voices” of civil representation – entrepreneurs, the youth and various associations – that are involved in the partnership between the two continents and ready to collaborate so that this cooperation between Europe and Africa can develop in a positive way for all parties.
Read more.
Britain represented by Amos
The British Prime Minister did not attend the summit, protesting against that Zimbabwe’s president Mugabe was invited and allowed to enter Europe for the first time in several years. Britain was instead represented by Baroness Amos, representative of the Prime Minister, a former Foreign Office Africa Minister and DfID Secretary of State.
Read more.
Africa made its voice heard
BBC has collected reports about the Summit from especially African media, including an article in the Rwanda Times stating: “One most positive element that has come from the meeting is the frank, open way issues are being discussed. No domineering, upper-lip aloofness from the former colonial masters and no encumbered exchanges from the former colonies, in what has been dubbed ‘a summit of equals’.”
More news on the Lisbon Summit
A section on the europafrica website provides links to recent news and views on the upcoming EU-Africa Summit. The Portuguese Presidency of the EU, the African Union and the European Commission have also set up webpages providing information.
EP and PAP adopt joint declaration
A delegation of members of the European and Pan-African Parliaments met on Friday in Lisbon, ahead of the EU-Africa summit. A joint declaration by both Parliaments was adopted calling for them to have a stronger role in the new Joint EU-Africa strategy. EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering and Pan-African Parliament (PAP) President Gertrude Mongella will both address the EU-Africa Summit.
The joint declaration calls for greater focus on the eradication of poverty and development, particularly through investing in people’s health and education.
The statement criticizes that there is little role for the parliaments foreseen in the strategy – EP and PAP ask for full involvement into the process.
Read more.
Civil Society positions
Presentations from side-events to summit
In the morning of the second day of the EU-Africa Summit representatives from the side-events got the opportunity to present their views to the Heads of States and Governments. Non Governmental Organisations, Youth, Trade Unions and the Private Sector got three minutes respectively.
Read more.
Final declaration of Youth Summit
The Africa-Europe Youth Summit took place in Lisbon (Portugal), from 5 to 7 December 2007. It gathered 250 youth representatives of Europe and Africa was organised on the initiative of the North-South Centre of the Council of Europe.
Final declaration – pdf
Statement on visas – pdf
Statement of the EU-Africa Business Forum
The EU-Africa Business Forum was held on 7 December and brought together business federations, chambers of commerce and major companies from the EU and Africa. The final statement includes recommendations on how to promote trade, interconnectivity and entrepreneurship in the EU-Africa partnership.
Read more.
Save the Children: ‘Africa’s leaders must fulfil pledge to children’
Save the Children called on African leaders to fulfil their promises made in Abuja in 2001 to spend at least 15% of their annual budgets on health. In the briefing ‘Not another one, not another day’ they look at how African and European governments are not living up to their commitments.
Read more.
Euro-African Civil Society Forum: Interviews with participants
The Portuguese NGDO Platform organised the Euro-African Civil Society Forum on 15th to the 17th November 2007. Two of the participants were interviewed about their views on the EU-African partnership:
• Henri Rouille d’Orfeuil – Coordination Sud
• Joseph Ssuuna – Pelum Organization
More information and the forum report is available here.
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