Brussels, 03/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission, presided by José Manuel Barroso, and its “Africa twin sister”, the African Union Commission, presided by Alpha Oumar Konaré, signed an agreement in Addis Ababa on 2 October on a first major support programme for the operation and institutional development of the African Union (AU), with a budget of €55 million, to be implemented on 1 January 2007. The signing, doubled by a protocol of agreement to organise the permanent exchange of officials and trainees between the two institutions, constitutes the most tangible and major progress made by the third working meeting of the two Commissions, linked by permanent political dialogue (EUROPE 9275). The joint declaration adopted by the parties welcomes the progress made and sets out the new measures on which the two Commissions agreed in the following areas:
Security/Darfur: The need to continue to face up to the conflicts, war and insecurity especially in Darfur where needs are “considerable and urgent”. José Manuel Barroso admitted that African Peace Facility funds are limited and that the next facility, which would have a budget of €300 million for three years, would not start until 2008. He nonetheless personally pledged that EU support for an AMIS mission with an extended and strengthened mandate would be equal to the needs, as in the past. Neither party are saying anything about deployment of a UN peacekeeping force, as President Bashir has still not given his consent (EUROPE 9277). Different solutions are on the table, mainly that of giving the UN a more important role under the umbrella of AMIS, the main thing being to avoid a security vacuum and obtain resumption of negotiations on the Abuja Agreement.
Management of migratory flows: An EU/Africa ministerial meeting will be held in Tripoli (Libya) on 22 and 23 November on migration and development. The sharing of upstream analyses will be appropriate in the hope that both parties reach Tripoli with a common position on the various aspects of the question.
EU/Africa partnership for infrastructures in Africa: €5.6 billion will be earmarked for this project for the next six years in order to identify and achieve the missing links in network interconnection, improved security, safety of transport networks, access to water and also to energy, and to information and communication technologies (ICT). Flagship projects will be implemented in the short term.
Trade: Both parties wish to encourage the creation of regional autonomous markets with improved economic governance. They reaffirm that the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) being negotiated between the EU and six ACP regions (African, Caribbean and Pacific) must pursue this objective and conclude within “legally binding” time limits. The very first EU/Africa Business Forum will be organised in Brussels on 16 and 17 November.
Health: A commitment was taken to carry out joint examination of the problem of human resources in the health sector in African countries. (an)