For the future, the MEPs of the European Parliament’s Development Committee want an equal EU/Africa partnership, focused on human development, to enable both continents to effectively address common challenges.
The amendments and the 59 compromise amendments they voted on Wednesday 27 January to the own-initiative report by Chrysoula Zacharopoulou (Renew Europe, France) respect the spirit of this report, which wanted to go beyond the five partnerships proposed in March by the Commission in its EU strategy with Africa (green transition and access to energy; digital transformation; sustainable growth and jobs; migration and mobility) to focus on people, with an emphasis on post-Covid-19 reconstruction (see EUROPE 12528/12).
“For our relations with Africa, we are united. With all these compromises, we are showing that African countries are our privileged partners. Several challenges: health, education, gender equality, good governance, biodiversity conservation, climate change: there is no shortage of opportunities for building and growing together!”, said Mrs Zacharopoulou after a marathon vote whose results were announced at the end of the afternoon. The final vote on the resolution will be known on Thursday.
Education. MEPs stress that access to inclusive, accessible and quality education is a fundamental right and consider that education should be a priority of the EU/Africa Strategic Partnership.
They consider that gender equality must be prioritised and mainstreamed in the future partnership and refer to Action Plan III on the promotion of gender equality in external relations.
Health. The future partnership will have to strengthen health systems, the MEPs stress. They also insist on the right to sexual and reproductive health.
Culture. MEPs regret that the Commission communication neglects cultural policy in the future partnership. The report calls for the creation of conditions for the restitution of cultural property to African countries.
On trade, MEPs want the EU to support regionalisation and regional integration and welcome the launch of the African continental free trade area.
They reiterate that private investment is essential for the achievement of sustainable development goals, but that it must respect human rights, decent work norms, and environmental standards.
The European Commission was called on to legislate on corporate responsibility and their duty of care in their supply chains.
In the field of agriculture, MEPs stress the importance of supporting small African farms and environmentally friendly farming practices.
Climate change. With African countries being particularly affected, MEPs are concerned about the danger that climate change poses to human development. They call for increased EU funding to support African countries in their efforts to meet their commitments under the Paris Agreement and the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.
They also call for the rapid implementation of European ‘Green Deal’ diplomacy with African countries to encourage the transition to a green economy.
Migration. MEPs note that, in recent years, the issue of migration has dominated Africa-EU relations and that this may have had a negative effect on the way the two continents perceive each other. They stress that migration is a tool for reciprocal sustainable development for both regions.
MEPs believe that the human dimension of migration should be highlighted and that particular attention should be paid to the most disadvantaged groups of migrants. They call for the adoption of an EU-Africa Partnership on Migration and Mobility, which places the human dignity of refugees and migrants at the heart of its concerns, based on the principles of solidarity, shared responsibility and full respect for human rights, international law, EU and national law, and refugee law. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)