On the 13th of March 2009, the Strategy paper and multiannual indicative programme has been signed in Brussels. The Intra-ACP Cooperation – 10th EDF- Strategy Paper and Multiannual Indiciative Programme, 2008-2013, has some reference to the Joint Africa-EU Strategy.
References to AU and Joint Africa-EU Strategy and related issues extracted from:Official document, Intra-ACP Cooperation – 10th EDF. Strategy Paper and Multiannual Indiciative Programme, 2008-2013
2.2. EU-ACP Policy framework
The conclusion of a strategic partnership between the EU and Africa at the second EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon in December 2007 and the adoption of an Action Plan for 2008-2010 covering eight thematic partnerships marked qualitative steps forward in the relationship between the EU and Africa.
3.2.9. Capacity-building
Several capacity-building programmes were financed as part of the intra-ACP cooperation under the 9th EDF …. Support to African Union Programme (EUR 55 million)
3.2.8. Peace and security
Lessons learned from implementation of the APF have been analysed jointly by the EU and the African sides, both of which stressed the importance of:
– the principles of African ownership and solidarity;
– a credible EU-African partnership;
– the relevance of parallel support for peace operations and capacity-building;
– the overall institutional capacity of African structures;
– specific procedures allowing a flexible APF response to urgent needs;
– a close relationship and dialogue between the AU and ACP State structures;
– exit strategies for African-led peace operations and take-over of sensitive stabilisation
tasks by other relevant instruments;
– the need to establish a truly pan-African instrument.
One priority for the EU was to enable the AU, notably the African Union Commission, tobuild up its capacity to fulfil its role in key areas where pan-African approaches and strategies have added value. With a view to strengthening the capacity of all AU institutions, a contribution agreement signed on 12 January 2007 aims at enabling the AU Commission to play an effective role as the driving force behind political and economic integration in Africa. This programme will help to deepen the AU-EU partnership within the framework of the EU- Africa Joint Strategy and related Action Plan.
4.2.1. Climate change
a) Global Climate Change Alliance
The Global Climate Change Alliance39 (GCCA) was designed to provide a platform for dialogue and a shared vision between the EU and the developing countries hardest hit by climate change. It will specifically support adaptation strategies and – where it benefits poverty reduction objectives – participation in the global carbon market (by reducing emissions from deforestation and enhancing participation in the Clean Development
Mechanism). The GCCA involves regional partnerships, particularly with the African Union reflecting its Addis Ababa Declaration on Climate Change and Development (January 2007), and the EU-Africa Partnership on Climate Change launched in December 2007.
4.2.2. Infrastructure and networks
Developing infrastructure and providing affordable services pose many challenges related to the scale of the financial resources required and to problems with sectoral governance, maintenance and operation. These challenges call for a coordinated response thateffectively links regional and country action. The EU-Africa Partnership on Infrastructure, a priority action of the 3rd Partnership on Trade, Regional Integration and Governance of the EU-Africa Joint Strategy and Action Plan (JSAP) adopted in Lisbon in December 2007, provides an integrated framework for dealing with these issues and for channelling increased ODA.
4.2.3. Science and research
a) Research
At African level, the new programme in specific support of the EU-Africa 8th Partnership science component will help implement Africa’s S&T Consolidated Plan of Action (CPA) and address gaps in programmes at national and sub-regional levels on governance, agricultural development, economic growth and trade, climate change and biodiversity, environmental protection, health and education as well as using earth observation and space technologies for enhanced development policy formulation and implementation. Reinforcing research capacity will enable better complementarity with and uptake of opportunities afforded by European Research Framework Programmes.
4.2.5. Migration policy
The EU-African Partnership on Migration, Mobility and Employment was adopted at the EU- Africa Summit in Lisbon. It aims at improving migration management at the service of development and ensuring that migration contributes positively to Africa’s efforts to achieve the MDGs. It also aims at creating more and better jobs in Africa and promoting labour mobility and legal employment within Africa and between Africa and the EU.
4.3. Pan-African initiatives
The first Action Plan implementing the Joint Africa-EU Strategy endorsed at the 2nd EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon on 8-9 December 2007 contains eight thematic Africa-EU Partnerships to be implemented jointly by the EU and Africa on a pan-African scale between 2008 and 2010. They cover the following policy sectors: peace and security; democratic governance and human rights; trade, regional integration and infrastructure; the Millennium Development Goals; energy; climate change; Africa-EU migration, mobility and employment; and science, the information society and space.
Funding for these partnerships will come from various sources, including national and regional programmes and global or all-ACP initiatives under the intra-ACP envelope, but some activities deserve specific attention under a pan-African heading.
4.3.1. Peace and security
Peace and security are pursued by various EU policies and instruments. Full coherence between security and development policies is promoted at different levels. National, regional and continental development policies have a key role to play in civilian and strategic security, in the form of conflict prevention, conflict resolution and post-conflict peace-building and reconstruction. In this context, activities which can have a beneficial impact on civilian and strategic security should be pursued coherently at local, national and regional levels. The Africa-EU strategic partnership on peace and security, part of the “Africa-EU Joint Strategy”, indicates a clear need to ensure coherence and continuity from continental to local level. The Action Plan adopted under this need specific funding.
4.3.2. Support for the African Union
Implementation of the Joint EU-Africa Strategy and its Action Plan requires closer dialogue and cooperation at all levels between the EU and the AU, including not only continental and regional institutions but also individual countries, parliaments, local authorities and non-State actors (NSA), such as NGOs, the private sector and other players actively involved in the eight thematic partnerships covered by the Action Plan. Detailed provisions to ensure this closer dialogue and cooperation at all levels have been agreed in Chapter V of the Joint Strategy and in the introductory section of the first Action Plan. In this context, appropriate support should be provided to enable all relevant stakeholders to play an active and autonomous part in effective implementation and monitoring of the Joint Strategy and its Action Plan.
Moreover, on the African side, the African Union Commission (AUC) will continue to play a critical role in coordinating implementation of the Joint Strategy and the first Action Plan. Appropriate support should therefore be provided to the AUC, specifically to strengthen its institutional capacity and all its departments involved in the implementation process.
4.3.3. Specific thematic support
The resources for specific thematic support will be used to cover complementary funding needs in some of the eight domains identified in the Action Plan. At this stage, the two following clusters have been identified, in addition to education (see Chapter 4.2.4 a):
5.3.3. Pan-African initiatives
5.3.3.1. Peace and security
Peace and security lie at the foundation of progress and sustainable development. Consequently, the objective of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy is to cooperate in enhancing the capacity of Africa and the EU to respond promptly and adequately to security threats and to join forces in addressing global challenges.
Overall objective
To improve EU-Africa cooperation on issues relating to traditional and new security challenges, in response to both the European Security Strategy and the AU Peace and Security Protocol and Agenda.
Specific objectives
• To enhance dialogue on challenges to peace and security, notably in multilateral fora, in
order to reach common positions and implement common approaches on challenges to
peace and security in Africa, Europe and globally.
• To put fully into operation the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) in order to address peace and security challenges in Africa, including prevention and post-conflict reconstruction.
• To ensure predictable funding for African-led peace support operations, including working together to achieve, within the framework of Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, a UN mechanism to provide sustainable, flexible and predictable financial support for peace- keeping operations undertaken by the AU or under its authority and with the consent of the UN Security Council.
Indicative allocation EUR 300 million for the period 2008-2010.
Main expected results
• Closer cooperation on conflict prevention, management and resolution, including long-
term post-conflict reconstruction and peace-building.
• Increased EU/African cooperation and influence in international and global fora.
• Full operation of the various components of the APSA, in particular the Continental Early
Warning System, the Panel of the Wise and the African Standby Force.
• Enhanced capacity on the part of the AU and the regional mechanisms.
• Reduction of funding gaps and of the prejudicial uncertainty for African-led peace support operations.
• More effective deployment of these operations.
5.3.3.2. Support for the African Union
Overall objective
The AU is one of the EU’s main political and institutional interlocutors in Africa. The AU, and in particular the African Union Commission (AUC), will play an essential role in implementation of the Africa-EU strategic partnership and its first Action Plan. Moreover, the AUC will be instrumental in further strengthening relations between EU and AU institutions. The first support package has provided integrated comprehensive support to AU institutions, notably to assist the AUC with speeding up the institutional transformation process. Based on lessons learned from this first programme, the 10th EDF support package should be more structured, flexible and focused on assisting the African side to implement the Joint Strategy and the Action Plan (2008-2010). It should also continue to support capacity-building for the AU and its institutions and implementation of the recommendations made in the audit report.
The details of this support package should be discussed with the AU in early 2009 following the second year of implementation of the first support package.
Specific objectives
• To support relevant African stakeholders, in particular the AUC and its departments, that will be involved in implementing and monitoring the Joint Strategy and its first Action Plan (2008-2010).
• To support measures to strengthen the capacity of all AU institutions and to promote
exchanges of experience and expertise with their EU counterparts.
• To assist the AU to implement the recommendations made in the audit report on AU
institutions and the corresponding information system.
• To favour participation by African NSAs, parliaments and local authorities in the Africa- EU dialogue and cooperation.
Indicative allocation EUR 40 million.
