On Monday 21 September, the EU foreign affairs ministers discussed the EU’s future relations with the African Union and with Africa in general via videoconference.
This exchange provided an opportunity for the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, to officially announce the postponement of the EU/AU Summit (which was scheduled for the end of October) and the EU/AU preparatory ministerial meeting on 28 September (see EUROPE 12563/25).
According to the High Representative, the determination to forge a strengthened strategic partnership (see EUROPE 12558/19, 12518/15) is all the greater in order to take account of the impact of the pandemic and to achieve a successful post-Covid-19 recovery.
“As you know, the summit has been postponed due to the effects of the coronavirus, but we will continue to work and intensify our relationship with our African partners to address new challenges such as the fight against the pandemic and economic recovery”, Mr Borrell told reporters after the meeting.
Furthermore: “The coronavirus restrictions have been slowing down our outreach efforts, but not our ambition to move our partnership to the highest possible level.”
The next few weeks will be used to agree on “common priorities for the next decade”.
Some stressed the political dimension of the future partnership, such as the Finnish Minister Pekka Haavisto, who called on the EU to support the ongoing peace process in Sudan. He also called for “pushing the United States to lift sanctions against Sudan”.
The Austrian Minister for Integration and Foreign Affairs, Alexander Schallenberg, stressed that the post-Cotonou Agreement, currently under negotiation with the ACP (Africa/Caribbean/Pacific) countries, was a key issue for his country.
Austria comes back on migration. According to Mr. Schallenberg, “the Agreement will be absolutely decisive, also in view of the Commission’s proposal on a new Migration-Asylum Pact”, which is due to be presented on 23 September.
“We need to use all levers to achieve the maximum, in our interest, namely cooperation with the countries of origin and transit of migrants, return agreements and clear conditionality. We must not forget that migration is not only an internal EU issue, but that there is an essential aspect, namely an effective policy for protecting the external borders and effective cooperation with the countries of origin and transit”, he said.
As part of this exchange, the Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen, briefed ministers on the continuation of negotiations between the EU and the Organisation of ACP States (OACPs).
Migration and reproductive health rights are among the outstanding issues, according to a European source.
The next ministerial negotiation meeting between Jutta Urpilainen and the Togolese Foreign Minister, Robert Dussey, is expected to take place in October. The date has yet to be set. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)