Brussels, 25/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - For the first time, this, the third EU-Africa Summit, in Tripoli on 29-30 November, will meet against a background of global economic and financial crisis. That is sufficient reason in itself for the 80 European and African heads of state and government representing more than one and half billion people to decide to devote their strategic partnership, traditionally dominated by the political dialogue on security, peace and governance to “Investment, economic growth and job creation” (see EUROPE 10254). This shared concern is the main driver in the meeting between the two continents, to be attended by European Council President Herman Van Rompuy, who will be joint chair of the Summit along with the President of Gabon or Liberia, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso, and European Development Policy Andris Piebalgs.
The first day, which will be under African chairmanship, will be devoted to the issue of sustainable growth. 30 November, to be under European chairmanship, will see pride of place given to political issues, peace, security and regional integration. Sudan, in the run-up to referendums on self-determination for South Sudan and the status of the Abyei area, Somalia, and transnational threats such as the terrorist threat in the Sahelo-Saharan Strip will be among the points discussed. Sudanese President Omar El Bashir, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued by the International Criminal Court for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, will not be present.
The Summit is expected to end with the adoption of the Tripoli Declaration, the second action plan for the period 2011-2013 and a joint political statement on climate change setting out the joint objectives for the UN conference in Cancún (Mexico, COP 16, 29 November-10 December). “In a context of increasing globalisation and economic and financial crisis, the partnership between the EU and Africa has strategic importance. We will discuss key issues, such as peace and security, global governance and regional integration. We will also strengthen our joint efforts to encourage investment, job creation and growth,” said Van Rompuy on Thursday 25 November. Barroso said that “this partnership is also of genuine value to Europe and an opportunity not to be missed to promote relations with a continent whose importance in growing in an ever more interdependent world”.
An end to lip service? Warning the EU-Africa Summit against banality and repetition, MEP Charles Goerens (ALDE, Luxembourg), speaking in the plenary session of the European Parliament on Wednesday 24 November, said he wanted the Summit to tackle the real problems. He set out his expectation: “From Africa, we expect a clear message on improvement of its governance, its ability to achieve added value and its determination to stop the plunder of its wealth. We expect it also to tell us the obstacles that it is not yet able to eliminate by itself. We expect Europe to develop its ability to listen, its working with the African approach, in the desire to open up the dark continent politically, economically and commercially. Europe has a huge responsibility in these areas. If the EU-Africa Summit helps pave the way for improved African representation on the Security Council, in the G20, better able to eradicate poverty, then it will have been of value”.
Pride of place to the private sector. A clear indication of the importance given to the private sector, the involvement of which is a feature of the inclusive EU-Africa partnership, is that the Tripoli Summit will be preceded by a business summit on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 November, to be attended by Belgian Development Cooperation Minister Charles Michel, Industry Commissioner Antonio Tajani and Andris Piebalgs. A youth forum and a round table discussion between European and African business leaders (28 November) will take place on the sidelines of the Summit.
Positive, tangible results for peoples. Over the two days, participants will be keen to build on the results of the joint EU-Africa strategy and the eight thematic partnerships launched in 2007 - (1) peace and security; (2) democratic governance and human rights; (3) regional integration, trade and infrastructure; (4) millennium development goals; (5) energy; (6) climate change: (7) migration, mobility and employment; (8) science, the information society and space - to consolidate a partnership which is now working effectively and efficiently. The finishing touches were put to the Tripoli Declaration, the second action plan 2011-2013 and the joint statement on climate change at the 15th EU-Africa ministerial meeting in Lilongwe, Malawi, on 19 November. Ministers stressed the need for positive, tangible results for the peoples of Africa and Europe, and recalled the undertaking made at the 2007 Lisbon Summit to build a new political strategic partnership for the future going beyond the respective traditional relations of funding donors-beneficiaries and building on common values and objectives in the search for peace and stability, democracy and the rule of law, progress and development.
Helping hand for EPAs. Deadlocked economic partnership agreements (EPAs) between the EU and the four African regions of the ACP group are not on the agenda, but the African countries, seeking a way out of the impasse in talks at the highest possible level (see EUROPE 10256), will certainly broach the issue. Both sides are of the opinion that Tripoli provides an excellent opportunity to resume political dialogue at an appropriate level to find solutions to common concerns. The discussions that are to be expected will focus mainly on the need to reiterate the desire on the part of both parties to conclude EPAs that are to their mutual satisfaction. Ministers said as much at Lilongwe.
Tackling poverty, an EU-Africa priority, according EU citizens. A Eurobarometer survey on how the EU-Africa partnership is viewed by EU citizens was published by the Commission on Thursday 25 November. It reveals that 38% see tackling poverty as the main challenge. Peace and security comes in second place (34%), followed by human rights (33%). 34% believe that Africa will become a more important partner for Europe over the course of the next decade (a majority of citizens surveyed in Sweden, Austria, Luxembourg, Germany, Slovenia and Portugal take this view), while 42% think that relations will remain unchanged. EU citizens do not believe that migration is a major issue. However, the 11% in Spain and 18% in Malta who fell that this is an important concern is far higher than the EU average of 6%. Almost 15% of those surveyed have no firm opinion on EU-Africa relations, an indication of a lack of information. (A.N./transl.rt)