Difficulties and uncertainties. Should the European Council include EU-Africa relations in the foreign policy subjects that the European Council will propose for discussions? I believe that Herman Van Rompuy should envisage this by adding this theme to the subjects already included: China, the US, India and a number of others. Africa, considered as a whole within the framework of the ACP (leaving aside North Africa, which has different relations with the EU), also represents a strategic partner for Europe. This partnership, however, is currently surrounded by difficulties and uncertainties, which justify further reflection and an update. I consider that the Euro-African partnership has never experienced such a period of confusion and concern, since the beginning of the European Community.
Around ten days ago, our publication EUROPE 10212, provided a unique analysis, which to my knowledge, had appeared nowhere else in the international press. It was clearly illustrated that the strategy previously defined by the European Commission essentially consisted of concluding regional economic partnership agreements (EPA) with different groups of ACP countries and that this strategy is currently falling apart. Among the ACP countries, it is the African states that have the most misgivings about the strategy. Prospects for completing negotiations for these agreements, before the expiry of the current derogations to WTO rules (and before the EU-Africa summit), “appear totally delusory”. The results obtained are both very modest and very partial and are very different for the different groups of countries in question. The cause for these problems is not to be found in the technical difficulties or in the complexity of the texts but rather in the political attitudes displayed. Most of the African countries do not like these agreements, at least not the “trade reciprocity” imposed by WTO.
European countries themselves have never had the same interests in special relations with Africa. Certain member states have historic and fundamental ties with Africa, whilst others are still in favour of a comprehensive policy towards developing countries as a whole, without any geographical distinction. These member states consider that the EU should now formulate a kind of ultimatum: African countries that reject the agreements based on WTO rules should lose preferential access to the European markets (whilst safeguarding special regimes for the poorest countries).
Taking recent developments into account. With African misgivings and only moderate interest from some EU countries, the result is plain to see. The EU should therefore move from an exchange of views between “sectoral” ministers (ministers responsible for trade or development aid) towards a reflection between heads of state and government. Most of the relations between African countries and Europe are in constant evolution. These countries are increasingly demonstrating their autonomy, the right to manage their natural resources as they see fit, as well as their trade. In certain cases, they have in practice surrendered control of their raw materials to China for long periods, in exchange for immediate finance. In other African countries, they have even given up some of their agricultural land to third countries and have significantly changed the provenance of their imports, to the detriment of European products. They have the right to do this and it is normal that they are concerned about their own interests. Even at a political level, difficulties are not in short supply. The most recent case involves the attitude displayed by the majority of ACP countries to the European request to speak at the UN assembly with a single voice through the Community institutions and not exclusively through their national representatives. Europe cannot ignore these different developments.
Very strong but sometimes questionable links. It is true that in several cases, relations between the authorities of African countries and those of certain European states remain very strong. Nonetheless, if we look into the nature of these ties, we sometimes get the impression that they are largely based on particular interests (corrupt leaders in some of the African countries, representatives of economic and trade interests among the Europeans) more than on a positive vision of Europe-Africa relations. At the same time, we are aware of the extent that Europeans have a genuine passion for Africa, its natural landscapes and culture and that they are developing close relations with the inhabitants based on trust. We are also aware to what extent Africans love the culture of Europe and honour one or other of its languages through the writings of their authors or poets. Moreover, certain forecasts are now optimistic with regard to Africa's future economic development and its current expansion, in particular, through foreign investment.
These partially contradictory observations justify a far reaching and courageous reflection on the part of the EU, and at the highest level. (F.R./transl.fl)