European Development Ministers will have a further exchange of views on Monday 26 November in Brussels on the initiative proposed by the European Commission in September to create an Africa-Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs - an initiative welcomed by the European Council last October (see EUROPE 12120, 12094).
This will be a simple policy debate, but it will be the most important political issue of this Foreign Affairs Council meeting in its 'Development' format, as it will prepare the High level Forum on Investment and Innovation in EU-Africa Relations which will be "convened in Vienna on 18 December by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and the Rwandan President Paul Kagame", a senior European official said on Thursday 22 November.
Ministers will be asked whether they agree with the four pillars of the proposed alliance (improvement of the investment climate, reduction of investment risks, training and education in labour market skills and regional market integration), which aims in the long term to establish a free trade area from continent to continent.
Post-2020 external action financing structure. Ministers will be informed of progress on the future financial structure for development, namely the new single instrument for Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation (NDCI) in the EU's draft budget for 2021 to 2027 (see EUROPE 12024, 12015). Discussions have already taken place with Member States. "This will be the second round of discussions to provide clear directions for the future", the same source said. In the European Parliament, the ‘Development’ and ‘Foreign Affairs’ Committees are expected to finalise their joint report by the end of the month. The issue will be discussed in the European Council on 13 and 14 December.
Gender equality. Over lunch, ministers will discuss gender equality and human rights issues with Nobel Peace Prize laureates Nadia Murad and Dr Denis Mukwege.
The Council will adopt conclusions without debate on: - the implementation of the EU Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in Foreign Policy; - Food and Nutrition Safety; - Education in Emergencies and Prolonged Crises; - the revised Results Framework for Development and International Cooperation, proposed by the Commission to align it with the new ‘European Consensus on Development' and the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Post-Cotonou negotiations. The Commission will also update Ministers on the state of negotiations between the EU and ACP countries (Africa, Caribbean, Pacific) on the agreement that will take over from the Cotonou Agreement when it expires in February 2020 (see EUROPE 12123, 12118). The next negotiation session at political level is scheduled for mid-December. Negotiations at senior official level will take place at least once a month and, in the meantime, both parties will negotiate at the technical level. "The objective remains to complete and conclude a new agreement before the summer of next year", a European source indicated.
Under 'miscellaneous items', the United Kingdom will address the conference on Jordan hosted in London at the end of February. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)