Towards a Joint EU-AU Strategy Nordic Africa Days (NAI) Uppsala 26 April 2007 Geert Laporte ECDPM

Structure of presentation Context: Revival of EU-Africa dialogue Why a joint EU-Africa Strategy? Shared vision & Key Thematic areas Diverging perspectives Opportunities & Risks Process of Joint Strategy Conclusions

Revival of EU-Africa Dialogue Cairo Summit (2000) with OAU Emergence of AU as political interlocutor Brussels/ Addis dialogue: AUC-EC Dialogue More regular EP-PAP exchanges ….Lisbon Summit 2007?

Fragmented framework of AU-EU relations 3 EU-Africa Agreements Cotonou Partnership – ACP Group TDCA – South Africa Euro-Mediterranean Partnership- European Neighbourhood Policy EC funding mechanisms + mgt structure National, regional & continental level EU Member States policies on Africa

Why a joint EU-Africa Strategy? Adapt to new world context since 9/11 (security, migration, environment,…) Deepening of democratisation and integration in Africa and EU Emergence of Pan-African institutions New players with strong interest in Africa (China, India, Arab World, Latin-America…) Strengthening political dialogue Need to make ‘joint’ strategy after ‘unilateral’ EU Strategy for Africa

Shared Vision Historic links and neigbourhood Redefining common interests in changing context Political partnership beyond aid requiring different dialogue and institutional mechanisms Mutual accountability Promote and cooperate in effective multilateral system

Peace and Security Sustained holistic approaches (crisis mgt, LT peace building, conflict prevention, governance,..) Support to African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA- Peace Facility) Capacity building in Africa to prevent and resolve conflicts

Governance, democracy and human rights Support AU Governance Agenda/ African grown initiatives (e.g APRM) Discuss issues of economic governance- return of illegally aquired assets Mutual accountability instead of double standards Enforcement of mutual commitments

Trade and regional integration Trade = development oriented Fully integrated pan-African market Ensuring coherence between joint strategy and trade agreements (EPAs)?

Key development issues Health & Education for all Migration Debt cancellation Sustainable development Agriculture Environment & climate change Industrialisation, S&T Cultural goods etc…

Diverging perspectives Africa-Europe (policies) Trade/EPAs coherent with panafrican integration? Different ambitions: traditional economic development versus industrialisation, S&T, KM? Migration-security-brain drain? Addressing debt in strategy? Pan-african enveloppe beyond EDF10? Return cultural goods

Diverging Perspectives Africa-Europe (process) Radical shift in partnership culture Real and effective joint dialogue, monitoring & implementation Joint dialogue on types of funding & management of resources Mutual accountability

Opportunities Openness to dialogue on all sensitive issues on equal footing More balanced partnership because of strengthened bargaining power of Africa New and stronger African institutions Involvement civil society

Risks EU ‘Business as usual’? Will EU treat Africa as one? Coherence with existing partnership frameworks? Reluctance EU member states? Will strategy reach grassroots?

Process of Joint Strategy Institutional dialogue at Troika Commissions and Experts levels Broad based public consultation process via internet and consultative meetings http://europafrica.org, http://europafrique.org ECDPM mandated by AU and EU to facilitate both processes

Next steps in the Process Drafting Outline by Experts Group (26-28 April) Ministerial Troika (15 May) to decide on outline Drafting Strategy & further consultation Lisbon Summit (December 2007)

Conclusions First time that attempt is made for genuine and joint and inclusive process Openness in pointing out issues of consensus and divergence Will Joint Strategy fundamentally change EU-Africa relations beyond aid ? Ensure delivery of commitments and put emphasis on monitoring and implementation mechanisms!

Thank you for your attention… Geert Laporte gl@ecdpm.org For more information on ECDPM’s work on ACP-EU and AU-EU relations: www.ecdpm.org