This is the 20th 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
Less Than Half of EU Aid Tackles Poverty
Less than half of development aid approved by the European Commission is explicitly linked to international objectives on reducing poverty, a new study has found, says David Cronin on IPS.
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CCP-AU Conference Report Launch
For those of you who were not able to join the AU Summit in Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt respectively this past Summer, no worries. The Centre for Citizens’ Participation in the African Union (CCP-AU) has completed the conference report that presents the proceedings, and a copy of the African CSO Communiqué of the “ Sharm El Sheikh Declaration” which was alobbying tool that was used at the 11th Ordinary African Union Summit in Egypt. The different press documents are also attached for your reading.
Read the report – pdf
Ecowas and EU Want More Cooperation
President of the ECOWAS commission Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas has described the European Union as a “dependable, reliable and constant partner” in the West African integration process. While acknowledging the long-standing history between Europe and Africa, Dr. Chambas said the European Union (EU) has greatly supported ECOWAS and its Member States in their developmental efforts, adding that these are “very good prospects for continuing relations between us”.
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AU and EU Forum for Media and Development
The « MEDIA & Development » Forum was held in Ouagadougou on 11, 12 and 13 September 2008 and falls within the framework of the partnership between the European Commission and the Commission of the African Union.
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European NGOs welcome the 1 billion € fund for farmers but ask for long term measures
CONCORD, the European confederation of relief and development NGOs, whose members represent over 1600 NGOs, welcomes this proposal and urges for strong, long term actions. “This is a clear opportunity for the European Union to demonstrate leadership and solidarity with farmers across the developing world”, says Tom Arnold of the CONCORD Working Group on Food Security issues.
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Joint Africa-EU Strategy: progress and way ahead
This summary of the troika report on the progress should seek to inform on the progress made to date. It informs you about the progression made on the European Union and African side and gives you an insight about the concrete decisions made at the ministerial meeting.
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Official Communiqué of the 10th Africa-EU Ministerial TROIKA Meeting
In the framework of the Africa-EU dialogue, the 10th Ministerial Meeting of the African and EU Troikas took place in Brussels, Belgium on 16 September 2008.
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“The EU and Africa: a Partnership based on Dialogue” – Speech by the President of the EC, José Manuel Durão Barroso
At the Africa Week, José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission has delievered a speech on “The EU and Africa: a Partnership based on Dialogue” yesterday at the meeting of the European Parliament and the Pan African Parliament in Brussels.
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Next EU-AU Troika on the 16th of September 2008
The EU-AU Troika will take place on the 16th of September in Brussels, Belgium. One of the topics on the agenda will be certainly the implementation and monitoring process of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy. Detailed information will follow soon.
Six new states were included into the Committee of Heads of State for the implementation of NEPAD
In Midrand (South Africa), the Committee of Heads of State and Government for the implementation of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) have announced the 6 new states that will join the structure in the future.
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Can EU funds be put to use to help food crisis?
A plan to boost food production in developing countries and provide urgent food aid will be discussed by the Development Committee this Wednesday, on the 10th of September 2008. The aim is to use surplus money from the EU’s agriculture budget to help the poor. Joining the debate are key figures from the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme. Parliament’s rapporteur is Irish MEP Gay Mitchell of the centre right EPP-ED bloc.
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Important Official Events on the Implementation of the Joint Strategy
After the summer break many important events will take place to get the implementation and monitoring process of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy started. Here are some of them for you to follow up:
EU-Africa Energy Partnership: first concrete actions decided in Addis
A high level discussion between the African Union and the European Commission on the implementation of the Africa – EU Energy Partnership, opened on Monday, 8 September 2008 at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The European delegation at the high level meeting was led by Mr. Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid and Mr. Andris Piebalgs, European Commissioner for Energy.
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The European Union and its responsibility in the world. CONCORD Manifesto for the 2009 European Parliament Elections
In June 2009, citizens of the 27 member States of the European Union (EU) will elect their representatives to the European Parliament for the 2009-2014 term. The newly elected Members of the European Parliament will need to guide the European Council and the European Commission through many important decision-making processes. The outcome of these negotiations must not deter development that centres on human rights, neither for the citizens of the EU nor for those outside.
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In European Year of Intercultural Dialogue, Africa will have place of honour at European Parliament
Place of honour at the European Parliament in the week 8-11 September will go to Africa, in all its political complexity and cultural diversity.
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Jean Ping said “no” to Nicolas Sarkozy’s Mediterranean Union project
For Jean Ping, the Mediterranean Union project of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, that was approved in the beginning of July, aims at dividing the African continent and contradicts the decision made at the last African Union Summit to see Africa as one integrated, geographical and political unit says the International Magazine.
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Libya says Mediterranean Union will divide Africa
Libya’s leader Muammar Gaddafi has reaffirmed his critical stance towards the Union for the Mediterranean – the brainchild of French President Nicolas Sarkozy – saying it will divide the 53-nation African Union.
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EU-South Africa Summit on 25 July in Bordeaux – summary of the conclusions
The EU-South Africa Summit was held on 25 July in Bordeaux, France. It was the first summit to be organised between South Africa and the EU since the establishment of the Partnership in May 2007.
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European Commission and EU Presidency launch European Development Days 2008
The European Commission and the French Presidency of the European Union have officially announced that the European Development Days (EDD) 2008 event will be held from 15 to 17 November in Strasbourg. EDD 2008 is one of the major events in the international development calendar, falling at a unique strategic time for Europe and its partners, two months after the United Nations General Assembly and a few weeks before the Doha Conference.
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Information on EARN
Cultural Diplomacy in Africa: A Forum for Young Leaders, Berlin, October 6th-10th, 2008: The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (ICD) is now accepting applications for its upcoming programme – Cultural Diplomacy in Africa: A Forum for Young Leaders, taking place from October 6th to October 10th, 2008 in Germany’s illustrious capital, Berlin. Please visit website for further information: www.culturaldiplomacy.org
Readings
European Development Fund: The illusion of assistance – Mouhamet Lamine Ndiaye
Africa’s share of world trade has declined from 5.5 per cent in 1980 to 2 per cent in 2003, and of this trade there is an overwhelming dependency on trade with the EU (European Union). Stimulating growth that enhances welfare, creates quality employment, and fulfils social and economic rights requires holistic economic policies and the political space and financial means to implement them – at national and continental levels. The EU could play an important and significant role in supporting holistic and equitable economic transformation across Africa.
European Community’s Development and External Assistance Policies and their Implementation in 2007- EU Council Conclusions on the Annual Report 2008 –
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European Development Co-operation to 2020 – The EU as an answer to global challenges?- Sven Grimm
The world is changing and so is Europe’s weight in global politics. Europe started its integration process in the area of economic co-operation and chose trade as the functional entry point for the broader aim of peace in Europe. Nowadays, challenges for Europeans are beyond their continent and beyond the Eruopean nation states
Post 9/11 aid, security agenda and the African state – Shastry Njeru
The nexus between aid, security and development is now beyond doubt. In fact, security is a precondition for development. The often cited ‘no development without security, no security without development’ captures this interconnectivity. Sadly, aid has become one of the casualties in the ‘war on terror’. It has been rapidly securitised. Self-interest and political motives determine the priorities of aid.
China and India in Africa: challenging the status quo?- Sanusha Naidu
The rise of China and India has indeed created a new set of impulses in the international system. Not only are these two emerging giants making notable waves in the way that international finance, trade and investments are being shaped but also in the way that the rules, which govern the global governance regime are being influenced.
Discussion Paper 85: The 2010 Revision and the future of the Cotonou Partnership Agreement – by ECDPM
The EU-ACP Partnership Agreement (CPA) was signed in 2000 in Cotonou, Benin for 20 years, and includes provisions that allow for a review and possible revision of the Agreement every 5 years. The first review took place in 2005 and resulted in revisions with regard to – among other issues – the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the management of the European Development Fund (EDF), peace and security and political dialogue. According to the calendar provided in the Agreement the parties have to notify each other about issues for the 2010 review by the end of February 2009. Mid-2008 is therefore an appropriate moment to start reflecting what this second review might consider.
Upcoming Events
28-30 September Informal Develoment Meeting, Bordeaux, France
1 October 2008 College-to-College Meeting on the Joint Africa-EU Stragtegy, Brussels, Belgium
1 October 2008 Coreper I Brussels
1 October 2008 Coreper II Brussels
2-3 October 2008 ACP SUMMIT of Heads of State and Government (Accra, Ghana)
2-3 October 2008 Building effective multilateralism with the new global players- European Union Institute for Security Studies- Paris
9-10 October 2008, Copenhagen Nordic Africa Days – Copenhagen, Denmark – “Africa on the Move“
15 October – SAIIA Conference on the European Socio Economic Model, organised in cooperation with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the French Institute of South Africa
20-21 October 2008 Euro-African Conference on Migration and Development- Paris
21 October Address of the French President to the EP, Brussels
22 October – SAIIA conference on crude oil (presentation by Duncan Clarke), Johannesburg, Africa
26-31/10: CTA ANNUAL SEMINAR 2008-The Implications of global climate change for sustainable agricultural production systems in ACP countries: the right information and communication strategies (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso)
27-28 October 2008 International conferences on the role of national platforms, Coordination Sud
27-30 October 2008 The future of European development policies – European-level meeting of NGOs (Paris, France)
29-30 October 2008 Europe viewed by the rest of the world, Coordination Sud and Concord
31-02 October 2008 2008 Civil Forum – Euromed Non-Governmental Platform (Marseilles, France)
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