ECDPM aims to share information on the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, on related events and positions of civil society representatives as well as provide some analysis on the progress of the negotiations. Click here for a brief introduction of the process. Apart from this bulletin, see also: www.europafrica.org
This is the sixteenth issue of the Europafrica bulletin (click here for the previous issues), which will give you an up-date on the implementation of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy. The bulletin is issued 1-2 times per month. Subscribe by sending an e-mail to: europafrica@ecdpm.org
News
7th Meeting of the AU-EU Task Force in Addis
The headquarters of the African Union hosted on 17 and 18 April 2008, the seventh meeting of the Task Force of the African Union Commission (AUC) and the European Union (EU) which was attended by a hundred officials of both organizations.
Lesotho Hosts Second Consultative Meeting on the Implementation of the First Action Plan of the Africa-EU Joint Strategy
The African Union Commission, through the Department of Economic Affairs, has organized a Consultative Meeting on the Implementation of the First Action Plan of the Joint Strategy, scheduled to take place from 14-15 April 2008, in Maseru, Kingdom of Lesotho. The Consultative meeting would cover the Eastern and the Southern Regions of the Continent and discuss the implementation and monitoring of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy and the Action Plan.
First AU Regional consultative meeting on the Implementation of the First Action Plan of the Africa/EU Strategy
The African Union has organised its 1st Regional Consultation on the Implementation of the Plan of Action of the Africa-EU Joint Strategy in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso from the 19th until the 20th of March and thus gathered actors from the West, North and Central Africa, as well as the EU, to discuss the monitoring and implementation of the Joint Strategy and come up with solid and good suggestions.
The consequences of EPAs on the future of the ACP Group
On the 14th of March 2008 the Secretary General of the ACP Group has given a speech at the 12th Session of the ACP Parliamentary Assembly in Ljubljana, Slovenia. There, he underlined again the current discussion around the implementation of the EPAs between the ACP countries and EU. According to him, the EPAs, if not properly implemented, will have long term negative effects on the economic, social, and political realms of the ACP States and Regions.
Meeting on Europe-Africa Research Network (EARN) on the 2nd of April in Brussels
On the initiative of the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) and the Lisbon-based Instituto de Estudos Estrategicos Internacionais (IEEI) a meeting has been organised on the 2nd of April in Brussels to discuss the future work and internal organisation of the Europe-Africa Research Network EARN. The meeting was attended by over 20 policy research institutes and networks from Africa and Europe.
Jean Ping and Louis Michel met in Brussels ( 8.04.08 )
The President the African Union Commission, Jean Ping and the European Commissioner for Development and for Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, met this morning on the 8th of April to discuss topics of common interest between Africa and Europe.
OECD Aid figures show ODA drop and EU Plans from the 9 April 2008
According to the OECD figures, Development aid from the European Union’s 27 countries fell last year urging governments to live up to their commitments to give more to poor nations.
Integration of NEPAD into the AU shall happen within 12 month
During ‘the mini-summit meeting’ of the Ad Hoc Committee of the African Union (AU) in Dakar , consisting of heads of state initiators of NEPAD, it is intended to deepen the reflection on the integration of the NEPAD secretariat in the commission of the AU within 12 month said Monday in Dakar, the Minister Delegate in charge of Maghreb and African Affairs of Algeria, Abdelkader Messahel.
EC Communication on the Follow-up of the Joint Strategy and Action Plan
The Communication “ Follow-up to the Africa-EU-Lisbon Summit: engaging the Commission in a partnership of results” tries to inform about the measures that need to be in place for the implementation of the commitments of the Lisbon Summit. It focuses on the political and institutional arrangements both at Commission, EU and African levels, required to ensure the implementation of the Joint Africa-EU- Strategy and its Action Plan.
Public Consultation on EU-China-Africa launched by the European Commission
The European Commission has launched a public consultation on the following subject: “The EU, Africa and China: Towards trilateral dialogue and cooperation on Africa’s peace, stability and sustainable development” with a consultation period starting on the 16/04/2008 until the 13/06/2008. The purpose of this consultation is to gather information and opinion from all African, Chinese and European stakeholders and
i) on the EU proposal to set up a trilateral (Africa-China-EU) dialogue and cooperation notably in the areas of peace and security, infrastructure and sustainable management of natural resources;
ii) and eventually on possible joint actions to be taken by the EU, its Member States, China and Africa to support it.
Read more about the consultation - html
Consultation document – doc
Other consultations: Public consultation “‘Towards an EU approach to local democratic governance, decentralisation and territorial development”. In order to stimulate the debate and receive external contributions to enrich the policy making process, the Commission launches this public consultation supported by an “issues paper” and a “background document” (see attached documents). The issues paper aims at identifying the main questions to be addressed in this preparatory process. The public consultation is expected to provide inputs for a Commission’s Communication, which should be finalised in July 2008
Current Readings on Africa
China still a small player in Africa
Firoze Manji argues that in comparison to Europe and the US, China in Africa is still a small player. While keeping an eye out on China, Africans should not be distracted from paying attention to the West’s continued exploitation of the continent including the use of military might to protect its economic interests.
India takes on China in Africa
In this essay, Paranjoy Guha Thakurta adds yet another layer by looking at India’s growing role in Africa
More on the India-Africa-Summit
Review of the Summit
Meetings/ Upcoming Events
28.04 Europe Africa Business Summit. The state and the future of Europe-Africa Economic Relations (Hamburg, Germany)
28.-30.04 First Regional meeting of the JPA ACP-EU (Windhoek, Namibia)
06.05 ACP Meeting (Council, Brussels)
08.05 DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION (Council, Brussels)
26.05 GENERAL AFFAIRS AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS COUNCIL (Council, Brussels)
27.05 GENERAL AFF. AND EXT. RELATIONS COUNCIL/DEVELOP.MIN. (Council, Brussels)
25.-6-26.06 Meeting of the ACP-EU Follow-up Committee (EESC, Brussels)
June : Africa-EU Ministerial Troika (tbc)
Beginning of July : African Union Summit
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