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

2. 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

3. 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?

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

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

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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

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

15. Process of Joint Strategy
Institutional dialogue at Troika Commissions and Experts levels
Broad based public consultation process via internet and consultative meetings
ECDPM mandated by AU and EU to facilitate both processes

16. 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)

17. 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!

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