The real revolution. The EU must understand that Africa has changed, and African countries, now they have full political independence and the right to decide for themselves about foreign relations, must take full responsibility for their own behaviour (see my preceding columns). Over and above the swirling sands of current events, the real revolution is the recognition of equal status among the Cotonou Agreement partners. This is not empty rhetoric to placate the feelings of either side, but a simple fact that is now widely shared and pointed out. World Trade Organisation (WTO) director Pascal Lamy recently commented about the Doha Round talks that emerging economies ad developing economies are nowadays highly solid and competent players, including Africans.

Transparency is required. Europe has to keep its promises. In the same way as the EU has various funds to help the more disadvantaged member states, it is proper for it to aid African countries but everything should be done openly and the use of funding should have conditions attached and be properly monitored. Several African governments want to manage their aid for their countries themselves (for projects decided upon in common) but some demand total autonomy.

I have pointed out in this column that some key EU-African new-style aid systems have not yet come into being, particularly the trade system suggested by the EU to respect WTO rules. Despite a decade of talks, not one of the economic partnership agreements has been agreed upon. African countries are tying to win an exemption in the Doha Round to the reciprocity rule for the dismantling of customs barriers, arguing that the main objective of the trade talks is to help developing countries access world trade. The EU's strategy in this domain is troublesome, but the fact remains that the EU-African trade regime is stuck in the pipeline. It must be discussed openly and full light shed on the issue.

Hot potato. Another area that the EU must raise is corruption. Not to lecture anyone because there is plenty of corruption in Europe, but the sheer scale of corruption in Africa makes the situation very different and the EU has taken firm steps to tackle it. It must require an equally tough line from its African partners and make EU aid conditional upon the tacking of corruption. This will not be easy, because corruption in some countries reaches right to the top and the civil service is riddled with it. In my view, rejection of such demands due to national pride and refusal to agree to auditing should not be accepted by the EU.

Balck Africa's real enemy. I will end with an issue over which Europe has come in for heavy criticism - the sinking of ships carrying women and children from black Africa, who lost their lives trying to reach Europe. Last week, for example, at least 150 people lost their lives but an investigation revealed that the victims had set sail from the part of Libya controlled by Colonel Gaddafi and their ship (if one can call it that) was shipwrecked a mile or so off the Tunisian coastline. These deadly boat trips are being deliberately organised by Colonel Gaddafi, who recently announced in a fit of pique at the way Europe was reacting to him that he would send people over to Europe as an act of revenge. Such departures have no connection whatsoever with the transport of Arabs organised by people traffickers for a very high price. A press release issued on 8 June 2011 by the Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner explains that members of the armed forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi are forcing immigrants onto boats in a pitiful state as a means of reprisal against the international military intervention in Libya. The Italian president, Giorgio Napolitano, writes in the media that this is crime tolerated by the Libyan authorities as political revenge against Italy and Europe.

Several MEPs who know next to nothing about the issue are blaming the EU institutions. Rachida Dati has been particularly clumsy, regretting the fact that the EU has not been involved in managing the consequence of the Arab spring, lumping together in a single pot the Arab spring and the crimes of Colonel Gaddafi - who is, of course, the most rabid enemy of the Arab spring. Instead, I call on black African countries to examine the way their so-called Libyan friend is deliberately causing the deaths of black African men, women and children who accepted his invitation to go and work in Libya.... (F.R./transl.fl)