Brussels, 27/01/2000 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday and Thursday the Euro-African meeting was held it Brussels. It was convened for discussing whether the first Europe/Africa Summit could indeed be held during the first half of this year. The EU Troika, at ambassadorial level, grouped Portugal, France, the European Commission and CFSP. On the African side, participants were Algeria, Burkina Faso, Togo, South Africa, Tunisia and Egypt. Participants should report to their respective authorities (for the EU, the General Affairs Council on 14 February).
On the African side, political obstacles hampered the organisation of the summit but they were partially eliminated thanks to renunciation by the Saharoui republic to fully participate. Difficulties continue however as this republic is part of the Organisation for African Unity (OAU) while Morocco is not a part. One can see what this situation would lead to if the "inviting power" on the African side is the OAU. One solution was envisaged, that of inviting all UN member African countries. But Algeria, which is currently holding OAU presidency, would not agree. Morocco could then be invited individually by Egypt, the organising country.
Other difficulties concern the agenda (in three sections: politics, economy, development) and above all the follow-up to the Summit. The African countries hope that more or less permanent structures will be set in place, as the EU had done with Asia and Latin America. The European countries are reticent. On Thursday evening, one diplomat used the following expression: the summit is neither completely on track nor completely dead and buried.