In an article in the European Voice, an African diplomat is quoted to welcome the joint strategy: “This is what Africa has been asking for. We do not want to always have this relationship of donor recipient.” The article refers to the 2005 EU Strategy for Africa which received critisism of not consulting African countries and NGOs. “This has to be a joint strategy, so it cannot ignore the African concerns,” said the African diplomat, “We want to move to a real partnership.”
Hussaini Abdu, the Regional Governance Coordinator for Africa of ActionAid International, expressed his concern, however. “There is a real structural imbalance in relations between the EU and Africa, you can have all the rethoric, speeches and joint strategies you like, but as long as the EU funds the partnership there is a structural imbalance. Europe has to accept it has a moral commitment to contribute to African development, without conditions.”
Source:
European Voice Vol. 13 No. 18 – 10 May 2007. “Joint EU-Africa strategy to fight poverty”
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