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. Membe, 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).
Ministers welcomed the progress report on the implementation of the Africa-EU Joint Strategy and its first Action Plan (2008-2010). They underlined that the full implementation of the ambitious and far-reaching Strategic Partnership is a long-term project and that progress is achieved only step by step. In this light Ministers commended the Joint Experts Groups for the work done so far and called on all parties to expedite efforts with a view to attaining tangible results within the timeframe of the First Action Plan (2008-2010).
Ministers stressed the need for adequate financial resources to effectively implement the Joint Strategy/First Action Plan, and reiterated their request for efforts to be made by both sides to allocate the necessary funds in order to foster implementation. In this regard, they attached particular importance to the work to be done by the Joint Expert Groups in identifying the financing requirements, the sources of financing and the procedures for accessing these financial instruments.
Ministers welcomed efforts to strengthen the dialogue between the two sides and noted with satisfaction the College to College meeting of the AUC and European Commission held on 1 October 2008 in Brussels.
On each of the eight partnerships, Ministers particularly welcomed the achievements as reflected in the attached Joint Progress Report, notably:
i.Africa-EU Partnership on Peace and Security
The training cycle for the African Stand-by Force, Amani Africa/Euro Recamp, has been launched, the new African Peace Facility for the period 2008-2010 with an amount of EUR 300 million has been agreed, and the first joint meeting of the EU Political and Security Committee and the AU Peace and Security Council has taken place in September 2008. Furthermore, the Joint Expert Group agreed to organise a seminar on the support of the EU to African training centers in the first trimester of 2009. Ministers agreed to enhance cooperation between the EU and the AU situation centres and to set up a Common Interactive Watch and Anticipation Mechanism.
ii.Africa-EU Partnership on Democratic Governance and Human Rights
The dialogue for cooperation in international fora and on global level has been enhanced and concrete proposals in this regard have been made; further progress towards the establishment of the platform on governance and human rights has been achieved, the dialogue on human rights has been strengthened. Progress is expected on the ratification of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. Cooperation on elections observation will be deepened through support to the electoral assistance and observation fund; discussions on the possibility of participation of African election observers at the 2009 elections for the European Parliament is ongoing. In the area of cultural cooperation, an inventory of the main ongoing activities will be made. Joint initiatives to combat illicit trade of cultural goods will be undertaken.
iii.Africa-EU Partnership on Trade and Regional Integration
Progress has been made in the advancement of free trade areas and customs unions. Negotiations of full and comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) as an instrument to promote poverty reduction and sustainable development and the gradual integration of the African economies into the global economy are ongoing. The Infrastructure Trust Fund has so far received EUR 146 million and eight major projects have been approved. The Steering Committee of the Infrastructure Trust Fund has met for a second time and will set up the roadmap and the plan of action for all projects including the eight which are already approved.
iv.Africa-EU Partnership on the Millennium Development Goals
During 2008, Year of Action on the MDGs, a series of international events and initiatives have made important contributions to the achievement of the MDGs in Africa and worldwide. For example the European Council adopted the EU Agenda for Action which outlines milestones to be achieved by 2010 in order to attain the MDGs, including specific initiatives for Africa. The UN High Level Events in New York in September 2008 reaffirmed a collective commitment to achieving the MDGs globally with a specific focus on Africa and resulted in substantial commitments, including in the areas of food security, health and education. The Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held in September 2008 made important steps towards coordination and harmonisation, which will be essential to achieving the MDGs. The work of the MDGs Partnership links coherently with the outcomes of these events and processes, in order to ensure harmony between the various MDGs focused initiatives. The Joint Experts Group will meet again in March 2009. Thematic sub groups on food security, health and education, will be followed by a meeting of the co-chairs and other partners to agree on a consolidated set of follow up actions.
v.Africa-EU Partnership on Energy
A Joint Statement on the Implementation of the Africa-EU Energy Partnership was signed by the two Commissions, which defines inter alia actions regarding improved energy access and services in Africa as well as energy security for both sides. Several energy projects have been or are about to be launched in 2008, financed by individual EU Member States as well as by the European Commission.
vi.Africa-EU Partnership on Climate Change
Progress has been made in setting up priorities for cooperation and in identifying deliverables and joint initiatives as contained in the Joint Progress report. Ministers took note of the progress made in the elaboration of a Joint Declaration to be submitted in time by Africa and the EU to the Poznan Conference on Climate Change on 3 December 2008. They mandated the Troika at ambassadorial level to meet in November 2008 in order to adopt the Joint Declaration taking into account the African position on climate change as adopted by the Conference of African Ministers of Environment in Algiers held on 20 November 2008.
vii.Africa-EU Partnership on Migration, Mobility and Employment
Efforts have been made to further structure the dialogue with African Diaspora; a Migration Information and Management Centre has been opened in Mali and other openings in other countries are in the pipeline; discussions on the migration fund and on the establishment of the African remittances institute are ongoing. Experts will meet for the first time on 26 November 2008 in Brussels to make progress in the various priority actions of the Partnership on Migration, Mobility and Employment taking into account the dialogue and the decisions taken in the various high level fora.
viii.Africa-EU Partnership on Science, Information Society and Space
An agreement on the implementation of six early deliverable projects has been found which are included in the book of lighthouse projects, as well on the establishment of an Africa/EU high level platform for joint efforts in science, information society and space, including in the framework of the African-EU Science and Technology Dialogue Initiative. This dialogue will facilitate the creation of a specific common decision-making platform for joint efforts in Science, Information Society and Space.
Ministers considered and endorsed the joint progress report, including its recommendations. They called on all actors to ensure adequate follow-up with a view to achieving tangible results within the specified timeframes. In this connection, Ministers also welcomed the Joint Expert Group Guidelines and endorsed it as a living document to guide the Joint Experts Groups in their work. They urged the co-chairs of the respective Joint Expert Groups to maintain permanent contact and ensure adequate flow of information to all stakeholders by making effective use of modern ICT facilities at their disposal, including the recently launched Joint AUC-EC website (www.africa-eu-partnership.org). The Joint Expert Groups were particularly urged to ensure broadest possible and effective participation of Member States and of the African Regional Economic Communities. They were also urged to take all necessary measures to reach out to stakeholders, including civil society, the Pan-African and European Parliaments, AU ECOSOCC, EU ECOSOC, private sector and international partners. Ministers reiterated the need to speed up the implementation process before the mid-term review in 2009. The next Troika Will take place on the 28th of April 2009.
Final Communique – doc
Read a more detailed anaylsis of the Joint Expert Groups on the specific partnerships:
Joint Progress Report on the implementation of the Africa-EU Joint Strategy and its first Action Plan (2008-2010) – doc
