This is the 22nd issue of the Europafrica bulletin, which will give you an up-date on the implementation process of the 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 AFRICA-EU STRATEGY
Africa and the European Union join forces to work together against climate change
Africa and the EU have outlined their common concerns for global warming and their common interest for an ambitious post-Kyoto international agreement through the endorsement today of a joint declaration on climate change. This declaration is also a result of the Joint Expert Group meeting on the Climate Change Partnerships between the two partners that took place in Addis in November 2008.
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Speech on the Joint Africa-E Strategy during the 16th meeting of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly
Mr Luca Jahier, President of the ACP-EU follow-up committee and Member of the European Economic and Social Committee has given a speech on the Joint Africa EU Strategy at the 16th meeting of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on the 24 -28 November 2008.
Read his speech- pdf
APRODEV, CIDSE and CARTIAS Europe on the Joint Africa-EU Strategy
The EU-Africa Strategy and its Action Plan adopted by EU and African Heads of States in Lisbon in December 2007 are structured around 8 partnerships: peace and security; democratic governance and human rights; trade and regional integration; the millennium development goals; energy; climate change; migration, mobility and employment; science, information society and space.
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FOLLOW-UP TABLE OF EU/AFRICA ACTION PLAN 2008-2010 – Contacts
The EU and AU have published a follow-up table with the needed information who is working for which partnership and which countries are involved. Here is a summary of the table.
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Joint Progress Report on the implementation of the Africa-EU Joint Strategy and its first Action Plan
The EU and AU have published a Joint Report on the implementation of the Africa-EU Joint Strategy and reported on the first Joint Expert Group (JEG) meetings for all partnerships that took place in the first 3 weeks in Addis in November 2008. To get detailed information what the two partners and other stakeholders have decided for the partnerships, please consult the Joint Report. The next JEGs meetings will take place before April 2009.
11th EU-Africa Ministerial Troika in Addis
Within the framework of the Africa-EU Dialogue, the 11th Ministerial Meeting of the African and EU Troikas took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 20 to 21 November 2008. The meeting of Ministers was co-chaired by Hon. Mr. Bernard K. Member, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania and current Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Executive Council, and H.E. Mr. Bernard Kouchner, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of France and current President of the Council of the European Union (EU).
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11th AFRICA – EU MINISTERIAL TROIKA MEETING, Addis Ababa – Ethiopia
The 11th Africa-EU Ministerial troika meeting took place in Africa, Addis Ababa – Ethiopia on the 20-21st November 2008. The Joint Africa-EU Strategy was also on the agenda of the two partners. The Second Meeting of the Steering Committee of the Africa-EU Partnership on Infrastructure was held at the Hilton Hotel, Addis Ababa – Ethiopia at the same time.
For further information please consult the African Union website
Euro-African Conference in Paris on migration and development
The second Euro-African Ministerial Conference on migration and development, during which the African and European partners took note of the reinforcement of the dialogue in the context of the Rabat process and the existence of a Euro-African consensus on a global approach to migration was held on the 25th of November in France, Paris.
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Blog on CSO Involvement in the Joint Africa-EU Strategy
The joint website of the EU and AU have initiated a new blog where CSO involvement in the Joint Africa-EU Strategy is the main focus and can be actively discussed. It is asked how do you see civil society acting in Africa-EU partnership implementation? What it is needed to empower civil society? What is the best way to involve civil society organizations in implementation of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy?.
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Africa and Europe ’seeking to harmonise climate-change demands’
Africa seeks a common position with the European Union going into climate-change negotiations next year, Algeria’s environment minister said Thursday following pan-African agreement says AFP.
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European Union – Africa Troika (November 20 & 21, 2008 )
A statement by the presidency of the Council of the European Union has announced that a EU-Africa Troika ministerial meeting has been held on 20 and 21 November at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, in the framework of the three-year Africa-EU Partnership defined in Lisbon in December 2007.
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Lisboa +1: what steps forward for the Africa-Europe partnership?
Coordination SUD and FIAP Jean Monnet have organised a 1 day conference on Lisboa +1: what steps forward for the Africa-Europe partnership? in Paris on the 5th of December 2008.
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Council Conclusions on “One year after Lisbon: the Africa-EU partnership at work”
The Council adopted the following conclusions on “One year after Lisbon: the Africa-EU partnership at work” at the 2902nd GENERAL AFFAIRS Council meeting in Brussels on the 10 of November 2008.
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Speech by he President Pöttering at the opening of the 10th ordinary Session of the pan-African parliament on 27 October 2008 in Midrand, South Africa
This is the full text of the speech by the President Pöttering at the opening of the 10th ordinary Session of the pan-African parliament on 27 October 2008 in Midrand, South Africa. This speech also makes reference to the Joint Africa-EU Strategy.
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Europe – Africa Research Network (EARN) Meeting – Implementing the EU-Africa Partnership a year after – Chatham House December 12th, London, UK
EARN had a public meeting with officials of the EC, PAP, Portugal, UK and ECDPM to discuss “Implementing the EU-Africa Partnership a year after” A private meeting of the EARN Network to discuss the workplan and strategy for 2009-2010 was also held.
Agendas of both meeting available -doc
“The Africa-EU Strategic Partnership, one year after Lisbon”, presentation made by Mr Briosa e Gala at Chatham House, London (12/12/2008 ) - ppp
AFRICA
Addis Ababa Hosts Twelfth African Union Summit of Heads of States and Government
The next Ordinary Sessions of the decision-making organs of the African Union will take place in Addis Ababa , Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.
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G20 Must Give Africa Better Deal
Africa’s sole representative at the weekend’s Group of 20 (G20) summit of world leaders, South Africa’s President Kgalema Motlanthe, says reforms agreed on at the summit would require better representation for the continent in the international financial system says AllAfrica.
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China Pledges more Cooperation with the AU
China’s top legislator Wu Bangguo pledged to further strengthen dialogue and cooperation with the African Union (AU) says AU Monitor.
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Elections to ECOSOCC PERMANENT GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The official launch of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council (ECOSOCC) General Assembly of the African Union (AU) took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 9 September 2008. Subsequently, the Permanent General Assembly at its orientation meeting in Nairobi, Kenya from 15 to 18 October 2008 decided to resume the ECOSOCC electoral process in countries and regions where elections have not yet been held.
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EU
Czech EU Presidency website
As of the 1st of January 2009, the Czech Republic will take over the EU presidency seat from France.
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1 Billion Facility was approved by the European Parliament
Agreement has finally been reached on the outline of the European Union’s budget for 2009 with €1 billion in farm aid for the developing world. It came after 9 hours of negotiations between MEPs on the Budgets Committee and European governments last Friday, 21 November.
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Council obstacle to European Development Fund (EDF) reform
This issue of the European Voice published a special section on Development policy and aid in the light of the European Development Days (15-17th of Nov) that took place in Strasbourg. Jim Brunsden, from European Voice, says that for 35 years, calls for the Development Fund to be part of the EU budget have gone unheeded.
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The European Commission launches a development appeal to the G20
On the eve of the G20 summit in Washington, the European Commission is launching an appeal for development to be given a place in the new “Bretton Woods II” architecture.
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Council Conclusions of the last GEARC Meeting (10-11 Nov) of this year
Here you can read all the other council conclusions (on EPAs, food crisis, DOHA, poverty etc) adopted at the last GAERC meeting of the year on the 10th and 11th of November 2008.
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Council Conclusions on trilateral dialogue and cooperation between the European Union, China and Africa
The Council adopted the following conclusions on the trilateral dialogue and cooperation between the European Union, China and Africa at the 2902nd GENERAL AFFAIRS Council meeting on the 10 of November 2008 in Brussels.
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READINGS
EU
Three-year Action Programme for the African Peace Facility, 2008-2010 (10th EDF) 31-10-2008- pdf
EC adopts 2009 Legislative and Work Programme. 05.11.08
In 2009, the Commission will follow up on the initiatives launched in recent weeks to address the financial crisis and to set out a European framework to address the economic downturn. At the same time, the Commission will use the final year of its mandate to complete the work already under way.
Africa
African Union: Jean Ping shares his views (Mauritania, Darfur, financial crisis, integration…) by Virginie Gomez and Emile Fidieck, published on 09/12/2008 –
Mauritania, Sudan, DR Congo, Chad … since his election as head of the Commission of the AU in January 2008, the new President of the Commission of the African Union has implemented a strong programme of diplomatic action. But he would like the Commission to develop soon a second pillar: concrete development programmes… A snapshot from our interview with President Jean Ping
EU and the developing world
For Better or Worse…Challenges for ACP-EU Relations in 2009. ECDPM. 01.09
The global financial crisis: Are developing countries prepared for a slowdown in 2009? ODI. 19.12.08
Budgeting for development aid (II) by Josep Borrell
Bringing the European Development Fund into the EU budget will allow for more effective and better co-ordinated action claims Josep Borrell in the European Voice.
Budgeting for development aid (I) by Danute Budreikaite
Failure to identify best practices and target those most in need means that aid is often ineffective says Danute Budreikaite.
The EU can offer a united vision of development- By Guy Edmunds
Europe’s development policies have significant potential, which is not yet being realized says Guy Edmunds.
The world in 2009
The World in 2009. Forecasting the year ahead. The Economist. 20.11.08
Global Trends 2025: A Transformed World” is the fourth unclassified report prepared by the National Intelligence Council (NIC) in recent years that takes a long-term view of the future. It offers a fresh look at how key global trends might develop over the next 15 years to influence world events.
Calendar
14.1.2009 COREPER I & II
15.1.2009 – 16.1.2009 EU – South Africa Troika
16.1.2009 Political and Security Committee
20.1.2009 Presentation of the priorities of the Czech EU Presidency to the European Parliament – Committees
26.1.2009-27.1.2009 General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC)
27.1.2009 Troika Meeting COMAG/COMEM/COMEP – EEA/EFTA
29.1.2009-30.1.2009 Informal Meeting of EU Development Ministers
12.2.2009 High Level Parliamentary Conference on Policy Coherence for Development and Migration, Brussels
Feb-March JEG meetings for all the partnerships
28.4.2009 Africa-EU Ministerial Troika meeting, Luxembourg
