The fifth EU-Africa summit taking place in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, at the end of November 2017 under the Estonian presidency of the EU Council will make youth a key priority. It will be the responsibility of the Maltese Presidency of the EU Council, which began its six-month mandate on 1 January 2017, to start the preparations for this biennial summit between the two continents (which have been linked by a strategic partnership since 2007).
This summit "will present an excellent opportunity to further strengthen our partnership to address common challenges and opportunities. It will serve to build upon the continuing dialogue on peace and security, development, creating a better future for Africa's youth, migration and the fight against terrorism", the Maltese Presidency states in its work programme, underlining the importance of the strategic partnership between the EU and Africa.
Investment, economic relations, job creation and migration management dominated the European ministers' exploratory discussions at the last Foreign Affairs Council on 12 December 2016 (see EUROPE 11687). In the opinion of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, "support for the economy is the best way to respond to the challenges of migration and security".
With youth unemployment being a shared concern, young people should be involved in the preparation of the summit, and not only African youth, the European ministers stated.
A communication from the European Commission and European External Action Service on the EU's strategic priorities for new momentum for the EU-Africa partnership is expected in April, and a new debate will take place at the Council in May.
The five priority goals of the common EU-Africa strategy for 2014-2017 are: - peace and security; - democracy, good governance and human rights; - human development; - sustainable and inclusive development and growth and continental integration; - and global and emerging issues such as climate change. The fourth EU-Africa summit took place in Brussels in April 2014 on the theme of investing in people, prosperity and peace (see EUROPE 11053). (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)