After several debates last year, European foreign ministers meeting in Brussels held an exchange of views, on Monday 22 January, on the proposal for a negotiating mandate tabled in relation to the partnership to be modernised between the EU and the 79 ACP (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific) states after 2020, upon the expiry of the Cotonou Agreement.
Almost half of the ministers took the floor during the preliminary discussions. Without going into detail, those discussions allowed general support for the architecture of the future agreement to be reached, as envisaged by the European Commission in the negotiating directives put to the Council on 12 December last (see EUROPE 11924).
There was unanimous approval of the idea of a general agreement, based on common values and completed by three strengthened partnerships targeting specific features of each of the three regions. There was also consensus on essential elements of the umbrella agreement – democracy and human rights, economic growth and investment, climate change, eradication of poverty, peace and security, and migration.
European ministers are resolved to capitalise on the experience gained through the Cotonou Agreement regarding political dialogue on respect of human rights, rule of law, democratic principles and good governance (essential elements of the Cotonou Agreement), as well as migration issues.
Germany and Denmark are in favour of the future partnership opening up to developing countries other than ACP countries, which would notably include the countries of North Africa and small insular states (see EUROPE 11792). The Danish minister, Anders Samuelsen, reiterated that he was in favour of an ambitious partnership with considerable possibility for political dialogue and focusing on Africa. He advocated an agreement that could also be opened up to other countries.
Belgium is quite amenable on this point. One thing is certain: like France, it hopes there will be a binding agreement, as do the ACP countries moreover. “I trust that we shall be able to continue working ambitiously with these countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific”, the Belgian minister, Didier Reynders, told the press.
Addressing the media, Germany’s deputy minister for European affairs, Michael Roth, stressed the importance that his country attaches to Africa in the post-Cotonou process. “It is a matter of deepening relations between the EU and the African states. Migratory issues are at stake, but that is not all. There are also economic matters at stake and, above all, climate protection. We want to see how we can create stable, pacific government, and rule of law and democracy play a role in this. We want to guarantee that the achievements of the Cotonou Agreement are also guaranteed for the future between the EU and Africa”, he said.
The ACP states, for their part, intend to remain united as an ACP group and to form a common platform with the African Union (see EUROPE 11924, 11782).
The aim of the Bulgarian presidency of the EU Council is to reach an agreement between Europeans by May this year at the latest in order to begin negotiations with ACP countries. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang).