In Addis Ababa, where she made her first visit to African Union headquarters last weekend, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, underlined the importance she attaches to the partnership with Africa and her commitment to deepening the AU/EU partnership in three areas: the fight against climate change, the digitalisation of the economy, and peace and security.
“I chose Africa for my very first visit outside Europe to send a strong political message, because the African continent and the African Union matter to the European Union” (see EUROPE 12385/2, 12381/20).
Citing the three priorities of the Commission over which she presides: the fight against climate change in the context of the European Green Deal, a plan to prepare Europe for the digital age and its institution’s aspiration to be a Geopolitical Commission, Ms von der Leyen added, “And of these three priorities [...], there is room for greater cooperation between Europe and Africa”.
The College of European Commissioners and the College of Commissioners of the African Union will meet in Africa for a meeting between twin institutions, probably at the end of February.
€170 million in aid to Kenya The Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, who accompanied her to Addis Ababa, then travelled to Kenya, where she announced an allocation of €170 million, most of which – €100 million – will support economic reforms in the transport and logistics sectors to boost regional competitiveness and facilitate the country’s trade and economic cooperation with neighbouring countries.
€50 million will support the government’s plan (2020-2022) to transform the health sector and €10 million will support the organisation of transparent elections in Ethiopia in 2020 (Germany will also mobilise €10 million). €10 million will aim to improve the business climate in the country. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)