Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee - EU Strategy for Africa - Towards a Euro-African pact to accelerate Africa’s development {SEC(2005)1255}
Date: 2005-10-12
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Africa, African Union, EU relations, cooperation policy, development aid, economic and social cohesion, establishment of peace, human rights, sustainable development

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 12.10.2005 
COM(2005) 489 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL, THE 
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE  

EU Strategy for Africa: Towards a Euro-African pact to accelerate Africa’s 
development 

{SEC(2005)1255} 

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Introduction 

Africa  is  on  the  move.  International  awareness  of  the  situation  in  Africa  has  significantly 
improved in recent years and the continent is now giving sustained signs that today there is 
real momentum for change. The birth of the African Union (AU) and NEPAD, the reinforced 
role  of  Africa’s  Regional  Economic  Communities  (RECs)  and  the  emergence  of  a  new 
generation of leaders at national level have changed Africa. It is also changing the relationship 
between Africa and Europe. 

Europe’s relationship with Africa is not new. It is deeply rooted in history and has gradually 
evolved from often painful colonial arrangements into a strong and equal partnership based on 
common interests, mutual recognition and accountability. Europe and Africa are connected by 
strong  trade  links,  making  the  EU  the  biggest  export  market  for  African  products.  For 
example, approximately 85% of Africa’s exports of cotton, fruit and vegetables are imported 
by the EU. Europe and Africa are also bound by substantial and predictable aid flows. In 2003 
the EU’s development aid to Africa totalled €15 billion, compared to €5 billion in 1985. With 
this, the EU is by far the biggest donor: its ODA accounts for 60% of the total ODA going to 
Africa.  Moreover,  some  EU  Member  States  retain  longstanding  political,  economic  and 
cultural  links  with  different  African  countries  and  regions,  while  others  are  relative 
newcomers  to  African  politics  and  development.  At  Community  level,  over  the  last  few 
decades the European Commission has built up extensive experience and concluded a number 
of  contractual  arrangements  with  different  parts  of  Africa  that  provide  partners  with  a  solid 
foundation of predictability and security.  

But  for  too  long  the  EU’s  relations  with  Africa  have  been  too  fragmented,  both  in  policy 
formulation  and  implementation:  between  the  different  policies  and  actions  of  EU  Member 
States and the European Commission; between trade cooperation and economic development 
cooperation;  between  more  traditional  socio-economic  development  efforts  and  strategic 
political policies. Neither Europe nor Africa can afford to sustain this situation. The purpose 
of  this  Strategy  for  Africa  is,  therefore,  to  give  the  EU  a  comprehensive,  integrated  and 
long-term framework for its relations with the African continent. 

One  Africa.  While  Africa  has  many  faces,  different  histories  and  diverse  needs,  it  has  now 
collectively  embarked  on  a  path  of  political,  economic  and  cultural  integration  of  the  entire 
continent, crystallised in the regional integration efforts promoted by Africa’s RECs and the 
launching  of  the  AU  and  NEPAD.  The  EU  Strategy  for  Africa  will  therefore,  for  the  first 
time, address Africa as one entity. Under this Strategy, the EU will reinforce its dialogue with 
the pan African institutions. The Strategy will also fully exploit the potential of the recently-
revised  Cotonou  Agreement,  the  Trade  Development  and  Cooperation  Agreement  (TDCA) 
and the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, together with the European Neighbourhood Policy. 
These agreements cover respectively the EU’s relations with sub-Saharan African countries, 
South-Africa & the countries of North Africa. 

One  Europe.  Europe  has  also  changed.  The  enlargement  of  the  EU  to  include  ten  new 
members has taken the number of potential individual partners to twenty six: the twenty five 
Member States plus the EC. This development has increased the EU’s potential political and 
economic  impact  but  the  enlarged  membership  also  poses  challenges  in  terms  of  aid 
coordination  and  complementarity.  The  EU  Strategy  for  Africa  will  therefore  make  aid 
effectiveness and donor coordination central priorities in the years ahead.  

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Common objectives. The purpose of the EU’s action is to work in partnership with the nations 
of Africa to promote peace and prosperity for all their citizens. In this EU Strategy for Africa, 
the  principal  objective  is,  therefore,  to  promote  the  achievement  of  the  UN  Millennium 
Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa. This objective is strengthened an complémented by 
the  specific  objectives  pursued  within  the  Cotonou  Agreement,  the  TDCA,  the  Euro-
Mediterranean partnership, and the European Neighbourhood Policy, including the support to 
political reform and economic modernisation. 

This EU Strategy for Africa should further strengthen the sound strategic partnership between 
an  enlarged  Europe  and  a  re-emerging  Africa.  It  is  hoped  that  this  partnership  will  be 
formalised  with  the  conclusion  of  a  Euro-African  Pact  at  a  second  EU-Africa  Summit  in 
Lisbon. The Strategy will further reinforce the basic principles that govern this relationship, 
most  prominently  equality,  partnership  and  ownership.  While  these  principles  are  not  new, 
their significance and implications have changed with developments in the external political 
and economic context. In view of the increasing role of both the RECs and the AU, and the 
increasing complexity of the EU’s relations with Africa, subsidiarity and solidarity will also 
become  central  tenets  of  the  EU  Strategy  for  Africa.  Finally,  it  is  crucial  that  the  EU’s 
relations with Africa should be increasingly pervaded by a culture of dialogue, which forms a 
basic element of our different contractual agreements. 

Key to the success of the partnership will be its ability to cement the bonds between the two 
continents beyond the formal political and economic interaction. One important component of 
this  broad-based  dialogue  is  the  launching  of  twinning  partnerships  bringing  together 
African and European universities and schools, parliaments, towns and cities, municipalities, 
businesses  and  industries,  trade  unions,  civil  society  networks  and  museums.  Another 
innovative proposal is the creation of a European programme for people with skills to share 
who want to learn more about, and get involved in, Africa’s development.  

The Strategy must reflect both the many different economic and social situations between and 
within  African  countries,  and  the  different  contractual  relations  the  EU  has  with  them.  For 
those  countries  still  some  way  from  reaching  the  MDGs  the  EU  should  focus  its  support  in 
areas  considered  prerequisites  for  attaining  the  MDGs  (peace  and  security  and  good 
governance), areas that create the economic environment necessary for achieving the MDGs 
(economic  growth,  trade  and  interconnection)  and  areas  directly  targeting  the  MDGs 
(social cohesion, decent work, gender equality and environment). These objectives should 
be  supplemented,  especially  for  those  countries  closer  to  the  EU,  by  support  for  economic 
integration and political cooperation with the EU. Taken together, these measures constitute 
the EU’s common, comprehensive and coherent response to Africa’s development challenges. 

Prerequisites for attaining the MDGs 

Over  the  last  few  decades,  wars  and  violent  conflicts  in  Africa  have  destroyed  millions  of 
lives and decades of economic development. It is now universally recognised that there can be 
no sustainable development without peace and security. Peace and security are therefore the 
first essential prerequisites for sustainable development. The EU should step up its efforts to 
promote  peace  and  security  at  all  stages  of  the  conflict  cycle,  from  conflict  prevention,  via 
conflict  management  to  conflict  resolution  and  post-conflict  reconstruction.  In  recent  years 
Africa has demonstrated its willingness and ability to plan, lead and conduct its own peace-
support  operations.  The  Peace  Facility  for  Africa,  which  has  rapidly  become  the  financial 
foundation  of  Africa’s  emerging  peace  and  security  architecture,  should  therefore  be 
replenished  and  strengthened  to  support  these  efforts.  The  EU  should  also  continue  to 

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promote  the  sound  management  of  natural  resources  in  Africa,  thus  tackling  the 
environmental root causes of many conflicts.  

Security has  become a top priority  worldwide since  11  September  2001.  Both  EU  Member 
States and North African partner countries have suffered major terrorist attacks. The security 
of citizens is now a major priority for both Africa and Europe. Ensuring security & the rule of 
law,  with  equity,  justice  and  full  respect  for  human  rights,  are  now  fully  recognised  as 
fundamental, shared priorities. 

A second central prerequisite for sustainable development is good and effective governance. 
In this area too, Africa is showing signs of positive change. Together, African countries have 
signed  up  to  a  set  of  progressive  values  and  principles  of  good  governance.  Some  of  them 
have  even  committed  themselves  to  being  regularly  monitored  in  the  framework  of  the 
African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a unique tool for peer review and peer learning. 
The  EU  should  launch  a  Governance  Initiative  that  encourages  participation  in  the  APRM-
process  and  provides  support  to  African  countries  for  implementation  of  APRM-driven 
reforms.  One  central  element  of  the  process  of  governance  reform  is  the  establishment  and 
strengthening of credible national institutions, whether at central level – such as parliaments, 
the  police  and  judiciary  system  or  public  financial  management  systems  –  or  at  local  and 
regional level. However, governance is not only about institutions, but also about appropriate 
policies and adequate legal and regulatory frameworks. The EU should therefore continue to 
promote transparency  and  effective  exchange of information between authorities  in order to 
fight  corruption,  money  laundering  and  terrorism.  The  EU  should  also  continue  to  promote 
the  human  rights  and  equal  opportunities  protect  the  vulnerable  groups,  especially  women. 
Concretely,  the  EU  should  support  the  creation  of  an  EU-Africa  Forum  on  human  rights  to 
encourage  the  sharing  of  expertise  and  resources.  In  the  countries  covered  by  the  Euro-
Mediterranean  Partnership  and  the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy,  progress  towards  good 
governance  will  be  encouraged  through  the  establishment  of  a  substantial  Governance 
Facility. 

Creating an economic environment for achieving the MDGs  

Despite  improvements  in  economic  performance,  many  parts  of  Africa  continue  to  be 
marginalised.  In  an  increasingly  globalised  world  economy,  Africa  accounts  for  only  about 
2% of world trade and its share of global manufactured exports is almost negligible. To halve 
poverty by 2015, it is estimated that Africa needs to achieve average growth of at least 8% per 
year.  The  EU  should  therefore  assist  in  stimulating  sufficiently  rapid,  broad-based  and 
sustainable economic growth in order to contribute to an effective reduction of poverty. The 
EU  should  continue  to  help  African  countries  to  implement  macroeconomic  and  structural 
policies that encourage private investment and stimulate pro-poor growth. Another key vector 
for  economic  growth  and  regional  integration  is  the  development  of  South-South,  North-
South  and  multilateral  trade.  Increased  economic  integration  within  regions  stimulates 
growth  by  increasing  market  size  and  exploiting  economies  of  scale.  The  aim  to  foster 
integrated  markets  and  promote  trade  and  development  lies  at  the  heart  of  the  Economic 
Partnership  Agreements  (EPAs)  that  the  EU  is  currently  negotiating  with  four  Sub-Saharan 
regions of Africa. Maintaining a close coordination between trade and development policies is 
essential. The Doha Development Agenda and the EPAs both seek to ensure the progressive 
integration of Africa into world markets. The EU should also support African countries in the 
promotion  of  a  stable,  efficient  and  harmonised  regulatory  framework  encouraging  private 
business initiatives, including in the area of electronic communications and  services.  In  this 

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context,  the  EU  should  promote  a  Euro-African  Business  Forum  bringing  together 
entrepreneurs and public and private investors from both Europe and Africa.  

Macroeconomic  stability,  the  creation  of  regional  markets  and  an  appropriate  private 
investment  climate  are  crucial  preconditions  for  sustained  economic  growth.  However,  this 
pro-growth  framework  needs  to  be  accompanied  by  appropriate  measures  to  boost  and 
diversify  production  and  to  establish  the  necessary  infrastructure  and  networks.  The  EU 
should target specific support on increasing the competitiveness and productivity of African 
agriculture.  In  the  framework  of  the  Euro-Mediterranean  Partnership  and  the  European 
Neighbourhood Policy, North African partner countries will implement a road-map including 
the  continuing  liberalisation  of  trade  in  agriculture,  processed  agriculture  and  fisheries 
products  and  the  liberalisation  of  trade  in  services  and  establishment,  with  the  aim  of 
concluding negotiations by the end of 2006.  

Limited  access  to  transport  and  communication  services,  energy,  water  and  sanitation  also 
constrains  economic  growth.  The  EU  should  therefore  establish  a  Partnership  for 
Infrastructure  to  support  and  initiate  programmes  that  facilitate  interconnectivity  at 
continental level to promote regional integration. In the framework of this Partnership, the EU 
should  support  Africa’s  efforts  to  identify  and  address  missing  links,  harmonise  transport 
policies,  develop  integrated  water  management,  develop  cross-border  and  regional  energy 
infrastructure and promote efforts to bridge the digital divide at all levels, including through 
initiatives to develop sustainable low-cost electronic communications.  

Tackle the MDGs directly 

40% of all Africans survive on less than one dollar a day. Only six out of ten African children 
go  to  primary  school.  Communicable  diseases,  in  particular  HIV/AIDS,  malaria  and 
tuberculosis, have hit Africa hardest and in 2004 alone AIDS killed over two million people 
in  Sub-Saharan  Africa  and  affected  another  three  million.  The  EU  should  therefore  help  to 
make  basic  social  services  available  for  the  poorest  people  in  Africa  (MDGs  1-6), 
contributing  to  the  establishment  of  a  social  safety  net  for  the  most  vulnerable.  Beyond 
primary education, the EU should support education, research and access to knowledge  and 
transfer  of  know-how  as  a  lifelong  process:  from  secondary  and  higher  to  vocational 
education. Building on the success of and experience from the Erasmus programme, the EU 
should support the creation of a Nyerere programme for student exchanges across Africa. The EU 
should  also  step  up  its  action  to  deliver  decent  health  care  through  the  strengthening  of 
national health systems, capacity building and health-related research and the replenishment 
of  the  Global  Fund  to  Fight  AIDS,  Tuberculosis  and  Malaria.  These  services  need  to  be 
further complemented by improvements in access to water, sanitation, sustainable energy and 
ICTs. Full participation of non-state actors should be ensured in all these areas to strengthen 
ownership  and  improve  service  delivery  for  the  poor.  Preventing  and  eradicating  poverty 
requires  the  promotion  of  productive  employment  and  decent  work  for  all.  In  Africa,  too 
many  jobs  for  young  labour  market  entrants  are  in  the  informal  economy  with  low 
productivity  and  income,  poor  working  and  living  conditions  and  with  little  or  no  social 
protection. 

These measures, important as they are, will, however, not in themselves be enough to redress 
existing  inequalities  and  lack  of  social  cohesion.  Africa’s  demographic  boom,  rapid 
urbanisation and large-scale migration pose new challenges. First, therefore, a more integrated 
approach to sustainable urban development is needed, based on the twin pillars of good urban 
governance  and  good  urban  management,  plus  better  territorial  development  and  land  use 

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planning.  Second,  more  comprehensive  efforts  should  be  made  to  turn  migration  into  a 
positive force in the development process, for example by transforming brain drain into ‘brain 
gain’ or by supporting the management of migration flows.  

Africa’s  environment  is  fragile  and  prone  to  water  shortages,  climate  change  and 
desertification.  Current  population  growth  and  agricultural  expansion  have  caused  land 
shortages and the intensification of agriculture has contributed to further land degradation. A 
healthy environment has benefits beyond Africa’s borders. But it is first and foremost one of 
the  most  valuable  assets  for  the  sustainable  development  of  Africa  and  EU  assistance  is 
necessary  for  its  protection.  Making  Africa’s  development  sustainable  is  the  only  way  to 
protect the livelihood of Africa’s poor in the medium and long term. Specific action should 
include  the  conservation  of  biodiversity,  for  example  by  supporting  the  establishment  of  an 
appropriate  legal  framework  for  sound  use  of  natural  resources,  the  management  of 
environmental  diversity  and  desertification,  and  action  to  counter  the  effects  of  climate 
change.  A  central  aspect  of  these  efforts  will  be  the  development  of  local  capabilities  to 
generate  reliable  information  on  the  location,  condition  and  evolution  of  environmental 
resources, food availability and crisis situations. 

More and more effective aid  

While  aid  flows  to  Africa  are  substantial  and  have  been  increasing  over  recent  years, 
additional  political  and  financial  commitments  are  required  to  give  Africa  a  decisive  push 
towards the MDGs. In June 2005 the European Council made such an ambitious commitment. 
The European Council agreed, on the basis of a Commission proposal, to double aid between 
2004 and 2010, and allocate half of it to Africa. By making this commitment, the EU is still 
on  track  to  reach  the  UN  target  of  allocating  0.7%  of  its  GNI  to  development  aid  by  2015. 
Compared  to  what  is  expected  in  2006,  this  commitment  should  result  in  an  estimated 
additional €20 billion in ODA per year by 2010 and an additional annual €46 billion per year 
by 2015. The EU also agreed to allocate at least 50% of this agreed increase to Africa. 

EU aid should not only be increased, but also improved. Aid effectiveness should be a crucial 
focus area in the coming years. In the past, lack of coordination and complementarity between 
donors  has  often  prevented  sound  development  policies  from  being  converted  into  tangible 
development  achievements.  The  EU  has  gone  a  long  way  towards  improving  this  situation, 
most  recently  at  the  High-Level  Forum  on  Aid  Effectiveness  in  Paris  (March  2005).  To  go 
even further, the EU should now implement an Action Plan on Aid Effectiveness and apply 
it  in  Sub-Saharan  Africa  as  a  priority.  This  Action  Plan  will  pave  the  way  for  specific 
proposals  for  the  creation  of  an  operational  and  interactive  EU  donor  atlas,  agreement  on 
individual country roadmaps for harmonisation, the adoption of joint programming documents 
and the development of common procedures. In addition, the EU should foster more general 
and  sectoral  budget  support.  This  will  not  only  make  aid  delivery  more  transparent, 
predictable  and  result-oriented  but  will  also  enhance  the  EU’s  collective  political  leverage. 
Overall,  it  will  be  important  to  demonstrate  that  the  substantial  increases  in  aid  flows  have 
served their purpose in helping recipient countries in their attainment of the MDGs. 

Conclusions 

In recent years, a forward-looking Africa has re-emerged on the international scene with more 
confidence,  dynamism  and  optimism 
improved 
considerably in recent years, sustained economic growth is being recorded for the first time in 
decades, and the AU/NEPAD and regional organisations have provided Africa with political 

than  ever  before.  Governance  has 

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and economic roadmaps and a vision for the future. Africa’s development is now at the top of 
the  international  political  agenda  and  there  is  a  broad  international  consensus  on  the  basic 
action that needs to be taken. There is now a unique window of opportunity to give Africa a 
decisive push towards sustainable development. For Northern Africa, the Euro-Mediterranean 
Partnership  and  the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy  have  also  opened  up  the  concrete 
perspective of a new and deeper partnership across the Mediterranean basin, which will be re-
confirmed during the forthcoming tenth anniversary of the Barcelona Declaration. 

As a long-standing partner and close neighbour of Africa, the EU is well placed to assume a 
leading  role  in  this  process.  Europe  and  Africa  are  bound  together  by  common  history, 
interlocking  cultures  and  shared  objectives.  Sustainable  social,  economic  and  political 
development in Africa is therefore our common concern. While Africa embraces a new vision 
for the continent’s future, the EU has to answer its call with the same sense of responsibility 
and urgency. The next ten years (2005-2015) will be a watershed in relations between Europe 
and  Africa.  The  EU  Strategy  for  Africa  outlined  in  this  communication,  expected  to  be 
adopted  by  the  European  Council  in  December  2005,  constitutes  the  EU’s  response  to  the 
challenge of getting Africa back on the track of sustainable development and of meeting the 
MDGs by the target year of 2015. This is our common mission, and our common duty. 

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ANNEX 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

1. 

1.1. 

1.2. 

1.3. 

1.4. 

2. 

The many faces of Africa........................................................................................... 9 

Geopolitical dynamics: areas of insecurity and centres of stability............................. 9 

Geo-economic dynamics: different paths to growth .................................................. 11 

Geo-social dynamics: patterns of progress and clusters of inequality ....................... 12 

Geo-environmental dynamics: management of natural resources to combat poverty14 

The principles of the EU’s relations with Africa................................................... 15 

2.1. 

The EU’s longstanding relationship with Africa ....................................................... 15 

2.1.1.  A network of agreements ........................................................................................... 15 

2.1.2.  A new framework for development policy ................................................................ 16 

2.2. 

Making a quantum leap in EU-Africa relations ......................................................... 16 

2.2.1.  Engaging with a changing Africa: equality, partnership, ownership ......................... 16 

2.2.2.  Engaging with a multilayered Africa: subsidiarity and solidarity ............................. 17 

2.2.3.  Engaging with Africa on a continuous basis: political dialogue................................ 18 

3. 

A three-pronged EU response strategy .................................................................. 19 

3.1. 

Strengthening EU support in priority areas................................................................ 19 

3.1.1.  Prerequisites for attaining the MDGs......................................................................... 19 

3.1.1.1.  Foster peace and security ........................................................................................... 19 

3.1.1.2.  Support legitimate and effective governance............................................................. 21 

3.1.2.  Creating an economic environment for achieving the MDGs ................................... 23 

3.1.2.1.  Boost economic growth.............................................................................................. 23 

3.1.2.2.  Interconnect Africa..................................................................................................... 25 

3.1.3.  Tackle the MDGs directly.......................................................................................... 27 

3.1.3.1.  Put people at the centre of development .................................................................... 27 

3.1.3.2.  Build an environmentally sustainable future.............................................................. 30 

3.2. 

3.3. 

4. 

Increase EU financing for Africa ............................................................................... 32 

A more effective EU approach................................................................................... 33 

Conclusions ............................................................................................................... 35 

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Introduction  

Africa  is  on  the  move.  International  awareness  of  the  situation  in  Africa  has  significantly 
improved in recent years and the continent is now giving sustained signs that today there is 
real momentum for change. With the birth of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development 
(NEPAD)  in  2001  and  the  African  Union  (AU)  in  2002,  Africa  has  equipped  itself  with  a 
strategy and institutions capable of guiding Africa on the road towards political and economic 
integration.  The  Cotonou  Agreement,  the  Trade  Development  and  Cooperation  Agreement 
(TCDA)  and  the  Euro-Mediterranean  Partnership  and  the  European  Neighbourhood  Policy 
provide  the  framework  for  the  EU’s  support  for  these  processes.  The  Regional  Economic 
Communities  (RECs),  the  building  blocks  of  the  continental  integration  process,  are 
committed  to  fostering  economic  growth  and  political  stability  and,  at  national  level,  many 
countries are making considerable progress in the field of governance. In the past five years, 
for  example,  more  than  two  thirds  of  the  countries  in  Sub-Saharan  Africa  have  held  multi-
party elections. In the late 1990s Sub-Saharan Africa also saw the first signs of a reversal of 
the trend of stalled growth of the previous two decades and in 2004 the region recorded real 
GDP growth of 5.1%, compared to 4.2% in 2003 and average annual growth of 2.3% between 
1980 and 2000.  

However,  despite  much  progress,  Africa’s  road  towards  sustainable  development  remains 
long. Today, 40% of all Africans are still living on less then one dollar a day, today three out 
of every four persons who die of AIDS are Africans, and today one African out of five lives in 
a country affected by war or violent conflicts. In terms of per capita income, eighteen out of 
the twenty poorest countries in the world are African and the continent is the only part of the 
developing world where life expectancy has been falling over the last 30 years. It is clear that 
without substantial additional political will and financial resources Africa will only be able to 
reach  most  of  the  UN  Millennium  Development  Goals  (MDGs),  not  by  the  target  year  of 
2015, but by 2050. 

Europe is  Africa’s  long-standing partner  and  closest neighbour and Africa’s development is 
also very much in Europe’s interest, economically, politically and strategically. Attaining the 
MDGs is therefore a shared objective and a common goal. The EU – all 25 Member States 
and the European Commission – should now together seize the unique opportunity created by 
the existing dynamics in Africa and present a common, coherent and comprehensive strategy 
to  make  Africa  the  first  priority  for  implementation  of  the  Commission’s  “MDG  package”i 
and  the  “European  Consensus”,  the  EU’s  new  development  policy.ii  The  objective  of  this 
communication  is  to  present  a  long-term  EU  Strategy  to  promote  the  achievement  of  the 
MDGs  in  Africa  to  be  adopted  by  the  European  Council  in  December  2005.  This  Strategy 
should, in turn, form the basis of a new Euro-Africa Pact, which the EU should aim to endorse 
at  an  EU-Africa  Summit  in  Lisbon.  The  EU  Strategy  for  Africa  is  based  on  extensive 
consultations  with  the  African  Union  (AU)  and  Africa’s  Regional  Economic  Communities 
(RECs) and should fully harness the potential of the recently revised Cotonou Agreement, the 
Euro-Mediterranean partnership and the European Neighbourhood Policy.. 

To achieve these objectives, the EU must take into account the different political, economic, 
social and environmental trends in Africa (Chapter 1) and the basic principles which should 
govern the relationship between the EU and Africa (Chapter 2). On this basis, the EU should 
pursue a three-pronged strategy (i) to strengthen EU support in priority areas, (ii) to increase 
EU  financing  for  Africa  and  (iii)  to  develop  and  implement  a  more  effective  EU  approach 
(Chapter 3). 

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1. 

THE MANY FACES OF AFRICA 

There  are  many  Africas.  Different  political  regimes,  historical  experience,  cultural  and 
religious  contexts,  economic  dynamics  and  geographic  characteristics  mean  that  local 
communities, countries and regions often differ considerably from one another. This chapter 
does  not  aim  to  give  an  exhaustive  analysis  of  all  of  these  differences  –  abundant  literature 
already  exists  –  but  rather  to  highlight  some  important  recent  trends  and  developments  in 
Africa. This context is the starting point for the EU Strategy for Africa.  

1.1. 

Geopolitical dynamics: areas of insecurity and centres of stability 

Recent years have seen a number of new external players emerge in Africa, attracted by the 
continent’s  economic  potential  and  political  and  strategic  importance.  This  changing 
geopolitical  context  poses  new  challenges  and  opportunities  for  the  formulation  and 
implementation  of  the  EU’s  Africa  policy.  Emerging  economies,  such  as  Brazil,  India  or 
China, have become important sources of foreign investment and provide new export markets 
for  African  commodities.  China  merits  special  attention  given  its  economic  weight  and 
political influence. Sino-African trade has increased from $10 billion in 2000 to $28.5 billion 
in 2004 and since 2000 more than 25% of China’s crude oil is imported from Africa. Despite 
radical  domestic  changes,  the  country  has  retained  links  with  different  African  countries, 
which  are  now  attracted  by  China’s  trading  potential.  Especially  for  oil-  and  commodity-
dependent countries, China represents a substantial and continued source of financial income, 
mostly outside the traditional development and governance frameworks. 

Also a number of Africa’s more longstanding partners are showing renewed interest in Africa. 
The  United  States  has  recently  reinvested  in  Africa  for  a  variety  of  reasons,  including  a 
traditional  interest  in  development,  good  governance  and  political  stability  but  also  newer 
reasons such as access to oil, the battle against terrorism and global strategic competition. As 
for Japan, the regular high-level meetings held with Africa since the 1990s, such as the Tokyo 
International Conference on African Development (TICAD), display the rising significance of 
Africa  in  its  foreign  and  economic  policy.  Finally,  Russia  has  also,  particularly  since  2001, 
forged  closer  links  with  a  number  of  African  countries,  notably  concentrating  on  their 
potential in the energy and mining sectors.  

Even more important than these external influences are Africa’s internal political dynamics. 
While some African countries and regions are scarred by violent conflicts or state fragility, or 
are  still  in  the  midst  of  post-conflict  reconstruction  efforts,  others  have  been  experiencing 
sustained  periods  of  peace,  security,  economic  and  political  stability  and  democratic 
participation.  These  stable  countries  play  an  essential  role  in  stabilising  their  regions  and 
setting an example of what can be achieved in a favourable political climate. Over the last few 
decades,  most  of  northern  Africa  has,  for  example,  been  enjoying  lasting  stability.  In  west 
Africa,  Ghana  is  the  prime  example  of  a  well-governed  and  stable  country  which  has  been 
able to convert economic growth into tangible development achievements. In the East African 
Community  (Kenya,  Tanzania  and  Uganda)  political  stability  and  regional  economic 
integration  have  created  a  community  of  stability  which  stands  in  sharp  contrast  to  the 
structural instability of the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa. In recent years countries such 
as  Rwanda  and  Burundi,  both  still  in  the  midst  of  post-conflict  reconstruction,  have 
increasingly been seeking to forge closer political and economic links with this group of east 
African  countries.  In  southern  Africa,  although  the  precarious  situation  in  Zimbabwe 
continues to give cause for concern, there is a similar bloc of stable countries, including South 

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Africa,  Namibia,  Botswana  and  Mozambique.  It  must  be  noted,  however,  that  not  all  stable 
countries set examples of good or effective governance.  

Map  1:  Conflicts  and  state  fragility  in  Africa  (2000-2005).  Sources:  Heidelberg  Institute  Annual  Report  2004 
and the World Bank’s LICUS (Low Income Countries Under Stress) Initiative (2004). 

Similarly,  some  of  Africa’s  largest  countries  often  also  serve  as  anchor  countries,  poles  of 
attraction and economic and political driving forces for their neighbours. Together with some 
Northern  Africa  countries,  the  leading  examples  of  such  anchor  countries  are  Nigeria  and 
South Africa, in western and southern Africa respectively. Due to the size of their economies 
and  their  commitment  to  regional  and  continental  integration,  they  play  a  central  role  in 
economic  development  and  political  stability  across  Africa.  Politically,  the  leaders  of  these 
two  countries,  President  Obasanjo  and  President  Mbeki,  have  taken  on  the  roles  of  peace 
brokers,  often  far  beyond  their  own  sub-regions.  Economically,  considerable  private 
investment  in  the  Great  Lakes  region  also  means  that  South  Africa  has  a  strong  interest  in 
stability and prosperity in that region too.  

Despite these positive trends, two chronic areas of conflict and instability remain: the Mano-
River region in west Africa and a line extending from Sudan and the Horn of Africa down to 
eastern Congo in eastern and central Africa. These two areas are dominated by a large number 
of countries in conflict as well as a high proportion of fragile states, i.e. states that – often 
weakened  by  endemic  crises  and  conflicts  or  natural  disasters  –  lack  credible,  legitimate 
and/or  effective  governance.  The  first  case,  the  Mano  River  sub-region,  includes  countries 
such  as  Guinea,  Liberia  and  Sierra  Leone.  Fuelled  by  the  presence  of  considerable  natural 
resources,  including  diamonds  and  timber,  over  the  last  ten  years  conflict  has  spread  across 
borders  and  engulfed  the  entire  region  in  a  severe  refugee  crisis,  further  contributing  to  the 
regional instability. As a result of these conflicts, Guinea has become the haven for up to one 
million  refugees.  This  instability  has  also  had  an  impact  beyond  the  region,  affecting  the 
Casamance-region of Senegal in the north-west and, since 2002, Côte d’Ivoire in the east.  

A  second  line  of  insecurity  can  be  traced  from  Sudan  and  the  Horn  of  Africa,  across  the 
Central African Republic and northern Uganda to eastern Congo. These conflicts are fed by a 
complex  pattern  of  structural  causes,  such  as  poor  management  of  scarce  natural  resources, 
bad  political  governance,  uncontrolled  refugee  flows,  inter-regional  trade  in  arms  and 

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trafficking in human beings. The conclusion of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement in Sudan 
in  January 2005  was  a  major  breakthrough  and  could  potentially  be  a  turning  point  for  the 
entire region. The same is true for the positive political dynamics in Somalia, until recently 
considered  to  be  a  collapsed  state.  However,  the  ongoing  Darfur  conflict  in  Sudan,  the 
“forgotten  war”  in  northern  Uganda,  the  persistent  insecurity  in  the  east  and  north  of  the 
Central  African  Republic  and  the  instability  in  eastern  Congo  remain  serious  causes  for 
concern. 

This  instability  and  insecurity  is  fed  by  an  increase  in  transnational  organized  crime.  The 
African continent has become an important transit area for international drug traffickers. 89 
per  cent  of  African  countries  are  affected  by  human  trafficking  flows  as  source,  transit  or 
destination  countries,  while  theft  and  smuggling  of  natural  resources  or  arms  trafficking  is 
increasing. At the same time, drugs trafficking and consumption is a particularly serious threat 
for the continent. African trafficking networks, particularly West African, have become major 
players  and  Africa  is  now  responsible  for  a  quarter  of  the  world’s  cannabis  seizures. 
Trafficking  in  and  abuse  of  cocaine,  heroin  and  amphetamine-type  stimulants  are  also 
increasing. 

1.2. 

Geo-economic dynamics: different paths to growth 

There  are  many  paths  to  growth.  Recent  evidence  points  to  the  sustainable  exploitation  of 
natural  resources  and  agricultural  development,  and  the  investment  in  human  resources 
combined with the creation of a sound investment climate as central drivers of growth.  

Africa  has  several  resource-rich  countries,  mainly  concentrated  in  Northern  and  Southern 
Africa and the south of the Great Lakes region and around the Gulf of Guinea. The growth 
performance of these individual countries has been rather uneven. In the southern belt, some 
countries  have  been  able  to  turn  these  resources  into  a  sustainable  source  of  income  and 
growth.  Experience  in  Botswana  and  South  Africa,  for  example,  shows  that,  when  the  right 
set  of  policies  is  in  place,  mineral  extraction  can  lead  to  sustained  growth.  The  recent  and 
rapid increase in oil prices has also brought about exceptional performances in other parts of 
Africa,  including  the  economies  of  the  Gulf  of  Guinea.  In  2004,  for  example,  real  GDP 
growth per capita in Equatorial Guinea was 31.5%. The resulting influx of foreign capital has 
brought  opportunities  as  well  as  political  and  economic  responsibilities  to  convert  the  new 
wealth into sustainable development. The results of the exploitation of resources other than oil 
and  gas  differ.  The  Democratic  Republic  of  Congo  (DRC)  has  the  third  highest  average 
potential hydropower output in the world after China and Russia, but only two percent has yet 
been  developed.  By  contrast,  Mozambique  has  gradually  become  a  major  exporter  of 
electricity.  

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Map 2: GDP/capita and natural resources in Africa. Source: World Development Indicators 2004 (World Bank) 

Agricultural commodity-dependent African economies often rely on a very narrow range of 
exports. This leaves them highly vulnerable to long-term price decline and to fluctuations in 
the world prices of such commodities. From 1980 to 2000 the real price of sugar fell by 77 
percent,  cocoa  by  71  percent,  coffee  by  64  percent  and  cotton  by  47 percent.  Unlocking 
agricultural  growth  will  involve  both  increasing  output  and  addressing  the  overall 
vulnerability and volatility of the sector. The improvement of the yields in cassava and rice 
production in west Africa is a good example of the first option. In eastern African countries 
like  Kenya,  Uganda  and  Ethiopia  diversification  into  non-traditional  agricultural  exports  is 
being pursued with some success and in Kenya horticulture has become the fastest growing 
sub-sector  in  agriculture.  Rapid  expansion  of  fish  and  fish  products  exports  in  Senegal, 
Tanzania,  Kenya  and  Uganda,  when  sustainably  developed,  contributed  to  a  successful 
diversification of production.. There is also scope for more regional trade. Even a landlocked 
country, such as Mali, could become a major rice exporter in the west African region through 
enhanced trade and regional integration.  

Another  important  driver  of  growth  is  the  existence  of  a  reliable  and  attractive  investment 
climate. Currently, the bulk of investments in Africa are domestic: around 80 percent against 
20 percent for foreign investment. Unsurprisingly, there is a correlation between the stability 
and  governance  performance  of  a  country  and  the  investment  climate.  Issues  related  to 
transparency  and  accountability  are  often  considered  particularly  important  by  investors.  In 
Uganda,  which  has  undergone  widespread  economic  reforms,  GDP  grew  by  around  seven 
percent  per  year  during  1993-2002,  reducing  the  share  of  the  population  living  below  the 
poverty line from 56 percent in 1992 to 35 percent in 2005. In Tanzania, an improvement in 
the  investment  climate  is  largely  behind  the  country’s  fastest  growth  in  15  years.  In  these 
countries,  cooperation  and  dialogue  with  the  national  and  international  business  community 
has proven to be a crucial component in the development of a positive investment climate.  

Another  key  component  of  the  investment  climate  is  regional  integration,  the  building  of 
larger harmonised markets which are more attractive for investment in the productive sectors. 
The building of regional interconnections, including the establishment of harmonised policies 
and  enhanced  trade  facilitation,  are  crucial  issues  in  this  context.  A  substantial  increase  in 
intra-regional  trade  has  been  witnessed  in  recent  years,  mostly  due  to  progress  in  regional 

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integration  schemes.  Intra-regional  trade  in  the  Common  Market  for  Eastern  and  Southern 
Africa  (COMESA),  which  established  a  free  trade  area  in  2000,  grew  by  25%  in  2003  to 
about €5 billion. In Northern Africa, the EU has supported the expansion of South-South trade 
and  regional  integration  through  initiatives  like  the  Agadir  Free  Trade  Agreement  signed  in 
February 2004.  

In these regions, the establishment of appropriate interconnections are key enablers of trade 
and integration as they reduce the costs of doing business and allow people to access markets 
more  easily.  These  challenges  are  particularly  crucial  for  insular  countries,  which  require 
specific attention and support. The development of dynamic processes of regional integration, 
which  will  strengthen  Africa’s  competitiveness  in  the  world  economy,  is  all  the  more 
welcome given the limited progress of many African countries in expanding and diversifying 
their exports. Some Sub-Saharan countries have for 20 years not significantly changed their 
export  mix,  which  today  too  often  still  consists  of  a  small  number  of  unprocessed  primary 
commodities. As a result, Sub-Saharan Africa’s share of world trade has declined from 3% in 
1950  to  less  than  2%  today.  A  controlled  and  gradual  increase  in  openness,  first  regionally 
and then towards the wider world, is therefore needed as a basis for a significant acceleration 
of  growth  and  development.  Given  that  Europe  remains  Africa’s  most  important  trading 
partner – for example, approximately 85% of Africa’s exports of cotton, fruit and vegetables 
are imported by the EU – the EU has a key role in supporting these processes.  

1.3. 

Geo-social dynamics: patterns of progress and clusters of inequality  

Just as with peace and stability and with trade and growth, the picture in Africa is extremely 
varied  when  it  comes  to  human  development.  A  line  of  poverty  cuts  across  the  entire 
continent. However, different socio-political contexts and different government policies mean 
that development outcomes still vary considerably between countries and regions. This is, for 
example, reflected in indicators for inequality, education and health, although similar patterns 
of  regional  diversity  can  also  be  found  in  the  areas  of  gender  (in)equality,  access  to  basic 
services and environmental sustainability.  

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Map 3: HIV/AIDS prevalence and literacy rates in Africa. Sources: UNAIDS Annual Report 2004 and the UN’s 
Millennium Indicators database (2004) 

While  several  African  countries  have  managed  to  record  impressive  economic  growth,  a 
highly  unequal  distribution  of  income  often  prevents  this  growth  from  having  a  positive 
impact  on  poverty  levels.  There  is  therefore  not  necessarily  any  link  between  the  overall 
prosperity of a country and its performance in terms of sustainable development, decent work 
opportunities  and  poverty  reduction.  The  category  of  strikingly  unequal  societies  includes 
many  poor  countries,  such  as  Sierra  Leone  and  the  Central  African  Republic,  but  also 
wealthier  countries  like  Lesotho,  Botswana  and  South  Africa.  The  most  extreme  case  is 
Namibia,  which  has  one  of  the  highest  levels  of  inequality  in  the  world.  Relatively  even 
distributions of income are found in countries like Ghana and Uganda, where growth also has 
been more strongly linked to sustainable poverty reduction.  

Not  least  against  the  background  of  continuously  strong  population  increases,  employment 
creation remains one of the major challenges for social development  and poverty  reduction. 
However, the employment situation remains worrisome in most African countries. The vast 
majority  of  all  new  jobs  for  young  labour  market  entrants  in  Africa  are  in  the  informal 
economy,  with  low  productivity  and  income,  poor  working  conditions,  lack  of  career 
prospects  and  with  little  or  no  social  protection.  Women  and  ethnic  minorities  in  particular 
continue  to  face  disproportional  difficulties  on  the  labour  market.  At  the  same  time,  child 
labour  remains  a  frequent  phenomenon  in  many  countries  and  constitutes  an  important 
income  base  for  many  families.  In  Sub-Saharan  Africa  alone  the  number  of  young  people 
looking for work is expected to increase by 28% in the next 15 years, equivalent to 30 million 
people.iii  

Gradually,  literacy  rates  are  improving  in  Africa.  Progress  in  primary  education  has  been 
recorded  in  some  of  the  poorest  countries  such  as  Burkina  Faso,  Benin  and  Eritrea,  with 
overall numbers of children in primary school in Sub-Saharan Africa increasing by 48 percent 
between  1990  and  2001.  Broadly  speaking,  enrolment  rates  in  primary  education  show  that 
southern and eastern Africa lag somewhat behind the rest of Africa. However, when it comes 
to  secondary  education,  the  Sahel  countries  Niger  and  Chad  fare  particularly  badly,  with 
enrolment  rates  well  below  10%.  Within  those  countries,  rural  areas  tend  to  fare  worse  and 
certain groups, such as girls, disabled children and orphans, remain particularly marginalised.  

Communicable  diseases  have  placed  a  heavy  burden  on  many  countries  and  regions  across 
Africa. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has hit southern and eastern Africa hardest: there is also a 
more limited, but growing, epidemic in west Africa and it is only the countries of north Africa 
that have so far escaped any large-scale impact. Adult prevalence rates range from under one 
percent  of  the  population  in  Senegal  and  Mauritania  to  over  25  percent  in  Swaziland, 
Botswana  and  Lesotho,  where  the  pandemic  has  wiped  out  decades  of  development  efforts 
and  considerably  decreased  the  average  life  expectancy.  However,  despite  these  devastating 
diseases,  Africa  continues  to  record  rapid  demographic  growth,  ranging  from  2.2  percent  to 
2.8 percent per year. If this rate of growth were to be sustained, Africa would be home to not 
less than 2 billion people within 40 years 

1.4. 

Geo-environmental  dynamics:  management  of  natural  resources  to  combat 
poverty 

The  perception  remains  in  some  quarters  that  environmental  protection  is  something  of  a 
luxury  in  Africa.  Yet,  evidence  shows  that  environmental  degradation  often  contributes  to 

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poverty and when forests disappear and water is exhausted or polluted, it is often the poor of 
Africa,  especially  children  and  women,  who  suffer  most.  Promoting  sustainable  natural 
resource  management  is  thus  a  politically,  socially  and  economically  sound  development 
strategy for Africa. 

The African continent is environmentally very diverse. Climate conditions range from humid 
tropical  in  western  and  central  Africa  and  in  the  western  Indian  Ocean  islands,  to  arid  and 
semi-arid  in  most  southern  African  countries,  while  semi-deserts  and  deserts  are  features  of 
northern  Africa.  Climate  change  will  further  increase  the  strain  on  water  resources,  affect 
biodiversity  and  human  health,  worsen  food  security  and  increase  desertification.  Extreme 
hydrometeorological events such as flooding and drought are common across Africa, and set 
to  increase  as  a  result  of  climate  change,  while  early  warning  systems  are  inadequate  and 
disaster management is weak. Climate change adaptation is therefore an urgent necessity for 
Africa’s development. 

Map 4: Africa’s environmental vulnerability (source: UNEP) 

Two-thirds  of  Africa’s  total  land  area  is  arid  or  semi-arid  and  34%  of  Africa’s  population 
lives in arid areas compared to just 2% in Europe. Land is central to development in Africa 
since the livelihoods of about 60% of the population depend on agriculture. The expansion of 
agriculture over the past three decades has involved the cultivation of marginal areas and the 
clearance  of  important  natural  habitats  such  as  forests  and  wetlands.  Such  conversion  is  a 
major  driving  force  behind  land  degradation.  In  the  western  Indian  Ocean  islands,  for 
example,  competition  for  land  is  so  intense  that  coastal  wetlands  have  been  destroyed  and 
inland  swamps  have  been  drained  and  used  as  construction  sites.  Draining  wetlands  for 
agriculture threatens not only habitats and biodiversity but also the livelihoods of pastoralists. 

Soil  erosion  reduces  the  productivity  of  land,  requiring  farmers  to  apply  more  and  more 
fertilizers  and  other  chemicals  that  help  check  falling  productivity.  Land  degradation  is 
intricately  linked  to  poverty  and  addressing  this  problem  requires  the  participation  of  the 
resource users and, where appropriate, providing them with alternative livelihood options. A 
recent study estimated that desertification processes affect 46 per cent of the African continent 
and  a  total  of  almost  500  million  people:  the  worst  affected  areas  are  along  desert  margins 
(see map). 

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Africa’s renewable water resources average 4,050 km3/year, significantly less than the world 
average  of  7,000  m3  per  capita/year.  The  spatial  distribution  of  both  surface  water  and 
groundwater is uneven. At least 13 countries suffered water stress or scarcity in 1990 and the 
number is projected to double by 2025. Groundwater is a major source of water in the region, 
accounting for 15 percent of Africa’s total resources. Groundwater is used for domestic and 
agricultural consumption in many areas, particularly in arid sub-regions where surface water 
resources are limited. However, areas heavily dependent on groundwater reserves are also at 
risk of water shortages, as water is extracted far more rapidly than it is recharged. 

Africa’s  forest  cover  is  estimated  at  650  million  ha,  representing  17  percent  of  the  world’s 
forests.  African  forests  provide  many  goods  and  services.  A  study  in  Madagascar  estimated 
the value of forest products to local villages to be US$200,000 over ten years. In Ghana, it is 
estimated  that  16-20%  of  the  local  population’s  food  supply  is  met  from  forest  products. 
Deforestation,  both  for  commercial  timber  and  to  make  room  for  agriculture,  is  therefore  a 
major concern and represents an enormous loss of natural economic wealth to the continent. 
Selective  vegetation  removal  and  over-harvesting  of  non-timber  forest  resources,  including 
medicinal plants, all add to this problem. The pressures on forests and woodlands are further 
exacerbated by the construction of access roads which open up closed forest areas, making the 
resources more accessible, and their trade more profitable.  

2. 

THE PRINCIPLES OF THE EU’S RELATIONS WITH AFRICA 

2.1. 

The EU’s longstanding relationship with Africa  

2.1.1.  A network of agreements 

The EU-Africa relationship is deeply rooted in history. Over the last few decades, the EC and 
the  Member  States  have  concluded  various  contractual  arrangements  with  different  parts  of 
Africa, reflecting the continent’s diversity in terms of history, policies and needs.iv  

The Lomé I Agreement, signed in 1975, was the first framework agreement with the countries 
of Sub-Saharan Africa, as part of the ACP group of states. This pioneering agreement already 
included principles such as partnership, the contractual nature of the relationship and the long-
term  predictability  of  financing.  Following  a  number  of  subsequent  Lomé  Agreements,  in 
2000 the EC and its Member States concluded the Cotonou Agreement for twenty years with 
the 48 countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. The Cotonou Agreement, revised in 2005, combines a 
political dimension with trade and development issues in a single comprehensive framework. 
South  Africa,  while  a  signatory  of  the  Cotonou  Agreement,  concluded  a  separate  parallel 
ambitious Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA).v 

The  EU’s  relations  with  the  countries  of  north  Africa  are  based  on  the  Euro-Mediterranean 
Partnership and Association Agreements, and on the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP)vi 
and ENP Action Plans. The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership was launched in 1995 when the 
Barcelona  Declaration  identified  the  three  main  objectives  of  the  Partnership  as:  (a) 
establishing a common area of peace and stability through the reinforcement of political and 
security dialogue; (b) creating an area of shared prosperity through an economic partnership 
and the gradual establishment of a free-trade area; and (c) bringing peoples together through a 
social,  cultural  and  human  partnership  aimed  at  promoting  understanding  between  cultures 
implemented  by bilateral 
and  exchanges  between  civil  societies. The  Partnership 
Association Agreements between the EU and each of the partner countries.vii Building on this 

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platform,  the  ENP  offers  to  these  countries  an  increasingly  close  relationship  with  the  EU, 
involving  a  significant  degree  of  economic  integration  and  a  deepening  of  political 
cooperation  in  an  approach  founded  on  partnership,  joint  ownership  and  differentiation  and 
aiming to promote the prosperity, stability and security of Europe’s immediate neighbours.viii 
All five north African countries are beneficiaries under this policy, implementation of which 
started  in  2005  with  the  adoption  of  a  first  set  of  ENP  Action  Plans,  including  those  for 
Tunisia  and  Morocco,  which  representing  the  fruit  of  discussions  with  the  partner  countries 
and common agreement on priority reform priorities and actions.  

2.1.2.  A new framework for development policy 

While these agreements provide a long-term framework for dialogue, trade and cooperation, 
the  EU  needs  to  adapt  its  policy  to  the  ever-changing  political  and  economic  context.  The 
stronger  consensus  on  the  Millennium  Development  Goals  (MDGs),  the  changing  security 
context  after  the  terrorist  attacks  of  11  September  2001  and  subsequent  events,  and  the 
increased impact of globalisation are just some of the elements that have made it necessary to 
rethink the EU’s policy towards the developing world.  

In  April  2005  the  Commission  issued  the  “MDG  package”,  providing  the  basis  for  the 
ambitious  commitments  made  by  the  European  Council  in  June  2005.ix  Building  on  this 
package, in July 2005 the Commission proposed to the Council and the Parliament to go even 
further and adopt a Joint Declaration on the EU’s new Development Policy, the “European 
Consensus”.x Once adopted, the “European Consensus” will provide, for the first time ever, a 
common  framework  of  objectives,  values  and  principles  that  the  Union  –  all  25  Member 
States,  the  Commission  and  the  European  Parliament  –  supports  and  promotes  as  a  global 
player and global partner.  

The  EU-Africa  Strategy  aims  at  providing  a  common,  coordinated  and  coherent  European 
initiative  and  response  to  the  challenges  Africa  faces  and  therefore  constitutes  the  first 
practical example of implementation of the abovementioned “European Consensus”. 

2.2.  Making a quantum leap in EU-Africa relations  

2.2.1.  Engaging with a changing Africa: equality, partnership, ownership 

As we enter a new era in EU-Africa relations, it is time to reinforce the basic principles that 
govern this relationship, most prominently equality, partnership and ownership. While these 
principles  are  not  new,  their  sense,  significance  and  implications  have  changed  with 
developments  in  the  external  political  and  economic  context.  The  birth  of  the  AU  and 
NEPAD,  the  reinforced  role  of  Africa’s  Regional  Economic  Communities  (RECs)  and  the 
emergence of a new generation of leaders at national level have not only changed Africa, but 
also  affected  its  relationship  with  Europe.  Rethinking  these  basic  principles  could 
fundamentally improve the nature and potential of the EU-Africa relationship.  

Equality. The emergence of the AU and the RECs on the one hand and the consolidation of 
European  integration  on  the  other  have  created  a  new  and  more  symmetrical  institutional 
framework  for  relations  between  Europe  and  Africa,  between  the  EU  and  the  regional  and 
continental institutions. Equality implies mutual recognition, mutual respect and the definition 
of mutual collective interests.  

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Partnership. This more balanced relationship has implications for the notion of partnership. 
First, between the EU and Africa. The EU is not only a donor of development aid, but also a 
political  and  commercial  partner.  Its  relations  with  Africa  therefore  not  only  encompass 
development issues, but also include broad, concrete and constructive political dialogue. The 
EU  can  offer  Africa  lessons  learned  from  its  experience  of  continental  integration,  regional 
and social cohesion, institution-building and policy development. This partnership must also 
be  based  on  mutual  responsibility  and  accountability,  which  includes  the  mutual  respect  for 
human rights and fundamental freedoms. Second, with the rest of the world. As the EU and 
Africa share basic values and objectives, such as a more multilateral world order, fairer global 
development  and  the  promotion  of  diversity,  they  must  be  strategic  partners  in  the 
international community. 

Ownership.  Development  policies  and  strategies  cannot  be  imposed  from  the  outside.  The 
vision of good governance, respect for human rights and democracy embraced by the AU and 
NEPAD  deserves  the  EU’s  full  support  and  will  add  a  new  dimension  to  the  concept  of 
ownership as the basis for dialogue and cooperation with each country. These principles are at 
the  heart  of  the  Cotonou  Agreement,  the  TDCA,  Euro-Mediterranean  Partnership  and  the 
European Neighbourhood Policy. The EU should consistently and collectively support Africa 
and  country-owned  strategies  and  policies.  In  order  to  turn  the  principle  of  ownership  into 
policy, budget support (aid directly contributing to a partner government's budget for sectoral 
policies  or  general  programmes)  should  increasingly  become  the  main  aid  delivery 
mechanism. This approach not only improves the ownership, efficiency and predictability of 
the support, but will also enhance a more mature policy dialogue leading partner countries to 
take their responsibilities in terms of objectives, means and governance mechanisms.  

2.2.2.  Engaging with a multilayered Africa: subsidiarity and solidarity  

In view of the many different cooperation agreements, the growing role of both the RECs and 
the  AU,  and  the  increasing  complexity  of  the  EU’s  relations  with  Africa,  subsidiarity  and 
solidarity should also become central tenets of the EU Strategy for Africa. 

Subsidiarity. Through these agreements, the EU should engage with Africa’s three levels of 
governance – national, regional and continental – on the basis of the principle of subsidiarity: 
only matters which would be dealt with less effectively at a lower level should be reserved for 
a higher level of governance. Issues such as peace and security, migration, interconnection or 
disaster  management  require  primarily  regional  or  continental  responses,  while  other 
questions, including basic social services, including like health care or primary education, are 
often better dealt with at national or sub-national level. 

EU policies and action should therefore be tailored to the potential of each level. At country 
level,  the  EU  should  for  Northern  Africa,  support  national  reform  strategies  and  the 
implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plans, while for Sub-Saharan 
African  the  EU  should  continue  to  centre  support  on  the  implementation  of  national 
development  policies  and  poverty  reduction  strategies  (PRSPs).  At  regional  level,  the  EU 
should  support  (sub-)regional  integration  and  development  strategies  and  programmes  of 
different Regional Economic Communities (RECs). For Sub-Saharan Africa this will entailthe 
creation  of  regional  integrated  markets  following  the  conclusion  of  EPA  negotiations.  This 
objective should extend to tangible support for coordinated supply-side and other reforms at 
national  level,  so  as  to  seamlessly  bind  national  development  policies  with  regional 
integration  objectives.  The  EU  should  support  African  efforts  to  rationalise  the  current 
regional  integration  schemes  and  institutions  in  accordance  with  the  regional  frameworks 

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governing  the  EPAs.  At  continental  level,  finally,  the  EU  should  support  the  continental 
institutions  and  strategies  of  the  AU  and  NEPAD  providing  answers  to  current  Africa-wide 
challenges. This will require boosting the capacity of these supranational institutions to make 
them stronger, more effective and more credible in the eyes of African countries and citizens. 
To  that  end,  the  EU  should  enhance  its  support  to  the  AU  Commission,  to  the  Pan-African 
Parliament,  and  other  pan-African  institutions.  At  the  same  time,  the  EU  should  develop 
synergies  and  complementary  features  between  the  different  agreements  to  support  these 
Africa-wide strategies more effectively. 

Solidarity.  The  EU  should  support  African  efforts  to  develop  enhanced  intra-African 
solidarity between these three  different levels  of governance. This solidarity consists  of,  for 
instance,  recognition  that  peace,  security  and  governance  is  a  shared  responsibility  of  the 
entire  African  continent.  The  principle  of  ‘non-indifference’  promulgated  by  the  AU  lies  at 
the heart of this new doctrine. Swift reactions by the AU following coups d’Etat, breaches of 
constitutional  orders  or  violations  of  human  rights  vividly  illustrate  this  attitude.  The 
establishment  of  the  Peace  Facility,  to  which  all  Sub-Saharan  African  countries  contributed 
via  their  EDF  envelopes,  is  a  good  example  of  how  Europe  can  support  this  African 
commitment.xi Another example could be to set up a mechanism supporting countries which 
are vulnerable and exposed to disasters and catastrophes. 

2.2.3.  Engaging with Africa on a continuous basis: political dialogue  

Finally, it is crucial that the EU’s relations with Africa should be increasingly pervaded by a 
culture of dialogue. The importance of a permanent, frank and constructive political dialogue 
can hardly be overestimated. This also requires a common and consistent approach by the EU 
as a whole, assuming its leading responsibility in partnership with other international players 
and with the UN.  

Experience gained so far inspired some of the recent amendments to the Cotonou Agreement, 
which  provides  for  a  regular  and  comprehensive  political  dialogue  with  the  countries  and 
regions  in  Sub-Saharan  Africa.  Following  the  revision  of  Articles  8  and  96  of  the  Cotonou 
Agreement,  political  dialogue  has  become  more  structured,  more  permanent  and  potentially 
more effective. The revised Article 8 will allow the EC and African partners to use political 
dialogue swiftly and effectively and under almost all circumstances. Article 96 will become 
more  powerful  since  it  will  be  a  second-level  instrument  for  more  difficult  situations  not 
solved  through  previous  political  dialogue.  Sanctions,  the  effectiveness  of  which  has  to  be 
carefully assessed, will be only the very last resort. In this way, political dialogue can be used 
to prevent violation of the ‘essential elements’ of the Cotonou Agreementxii instead of – as too 
often in the past – being a reaction mechanism only when a problem occurs. With the North 
African countries, the Barcelona Process and the ENP provide a solid framework for political 
dialogue.  The  Barcelona  process  regained  momentum  following  the  Naples  ministerial 
conference  in  December  2003  and  the  November  2005  Barcelona  Summit  will  be  a  new 
milestone  in  Euro-Mediterranean  relations.  The  EU  also  needs  to  enhance  its  dialogue  with 
the African  continent as a whole, going beyond the regular ministerial  meetings and raising 
the  dialogue  to  the  highest  political  level.  Five  years  after  the  Cairo  Summit,  it  is  time  to 
organise the EU-Africa Lisbon Summit.  

The quantum leap in EU-Africa relations described under this heading can be well illustrated 
by recent developments in EU-South Africa relations. Ten years into democracy, South Africa 
has  become  an  important  strategic  EU  ally  on  the  continent.  It  is  an  anchor  country  in  the 
southern  Africa  region  and  a  key  actor  in  the  regional  integration  process,  the  regional 

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stability and the future Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) with southern Africa. On the 
continental  level,  South  Africa  is  one  of  the  driving  forces  behind  the  AU  and  NEPAD,  a 
beacon  of  democracy  and  good  governance  and  a  major  peace-keeper.  On  a  global  scale,  it 
plays  an  increasingly  important  role  as  a  representative  of  Africa  and  the  entire  developing 
world. Therefore, South Africa and the EU have agreed to deepen and broaden their existing 
relationship through a holistic and innovative approach beyond 2006 with a view to building a 
strategic  partnership.  The  Joint  Cooperation  Council  has  adopted  Joint  Conclusions  that 
emphasise the need for an integrated approach to political dialogue, development cooperation, 
trade  liberalisation  and  broad  economic  cooperation.  This  will  result  in  a  new  type  of 
cooperation based on mutual interests that particularly will address South Africa’s imbalance 
and disparity between the “first economy” and its “second” informal sector.  

3. 

A THREE-PRONGED EU RESPONSE STRATEGY 

3.1. 

Strengthening EU support in priority areas  

Chapter 1 showed that the road to sustainable political, economic, social and environmental 
development will look rather different for each African country or region. But the overview 
also  demonstrated  that  many  countries  and  regions  face  similar  problems,  all  of  which  are 
crucial  for  Africa’s  ability  to  achieve  the  MDGs  and  all  of  which  require  enhanced  action. 
Under the new Strategy for Africa, the EU – the European Community and the Member States 
– should therefore strengthen its support in the areas considered prerequisites for attaining the 
MDGs (peace and security and good governance), areas that create the economic environment 
for  achieving  the  MDGs  (economic  growth,  trade  and  interconnection)  and  areas  directly 
targeting  the  MDGs  (social  cohesion  and  environment).  Taken  together,  these  measures 
constitute the EU’s common, comprehensive and coherent response to Africa’s development 
challenges. 

3.1.1.  Prerequisites for attaining the MDGs and good governance 

3.1.1.1.  Foster peace and security 

Peace and security are the first essential prerequisites for sustainable development. Over the 
last  few  decades,  wars  and  violent  conflicts  in  Africa  have  destroyed  millions  of  lives  and 
decades  of  economic  development.  Indeed,  the  Copenhagen  Consensus  project  has 
demonstrated  that,  on  average,  countries  in  conflict  suffer  negative  annual  GDP  growth  of 
2%.xiii  In  addition,  wars  and  conflicts  also  provoke  uncontrolled  population  movements, 
increase  environmental  pressure,  destabilise  the  societies  and  governing  structures  of 
neighbouring  countries  and  regions  and  often  provide  fertile  breeding  ground  for  terrorism 
and organised crime. Wars and conflict have an impact on all stages of the development cycle 
and there is therefore a crucial need for a comprehensive EU approach to all issues relating to 
conflict  prevention,  management  and  resolution,  post-conflict  reconstruction  and  peace-
building.  

The  EU  will  therefore  step  up  its  efforts  to  promote  peace  and  security  at  all  stages  of  the 
conflict cycle. Specific action should include: 

•  Develop  a  comprehensive  approach  to  conflict  prevention,  which  seeks  to  integrate 
policies and action in the fields of security, development and democratic governance. The 
EU should increasingly use regional and national development strategies and instruments 

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to address structural causes of conflict. The EU will maintain its support to addressing the 
root-causes  of  violent  conflict,  including  poverty,  degradation,  exploitation  and  unequal 
distribution  and  access  to  land  and  natural  resources,  weak  governance,  human  rights 
abuses  and  gender 
inequality.  It  will  also  promote  dialogue,  participation  and 
reconciliation with a view to prevent possible outbreaks of violence. Especially in fragile 
states  a  culture  of  conflict  prevention  needs  to  be  developed  and  fostered.  A  crucial  role 
could be played by national and regional Early Warning Systems, and the EU should step 
up  its  assistance  to  support  partner  countries'  and  regional  organizations'  efforts  to 
strengthen governance/institutional capacity building to enable them to engage effectively 
in  prevention  approach.  “The  monitoring  of  scarce  natural  resources  (water,  fertile  land) 
and  the  promotion  of  sound  management  of  shared  valuable  resources  could  also 
contribute to conflict prevention and sustainable peace.  

•  Cooperate in addressing common security threats, including non-proliferation of weapons 
of mass destruction (WMD) and combating terrorism. As regards terrorism, the EU should 
cooperate  to  reinforce  the  role  of  the  UN  in  the  multilateral  fight  against  terrorism, 
including  through  the  full  implementation  of  relevant  UN  Security  Council  Resolutions 
and  the  UN  Convention  on  Suppression  of  the  Financing  of  Terrorism,  while  ensuring 
respect  for  human  rights  in  this  context.  As  regards  weapons  of  mass  destruction  and 
illegal  arms  exports,  issues  which  also  undermine  regional  security,  improving  overall 
coordination  and  cooperation  to  ensure  full  compliance  with  relevant  international 
obligations and export control regimes. 

through 

-owned  and  –implemented  peace-support  operations,  notably 

•  Support  African  peace-support  operations  by  continuing  to  provide  support  to  African-
led, 
the 
strengthening  and  replenishment  of  the  Peace  Facility  for  Africa.  Many  lessons  can  be 
learned from the experience with the Peace Facility. The development-related objectives of 
the  Facility  have  been  successfully  converted  into  practical  action  and  that  today  the 
Facility  constitutes  the  financial  foundation  of  Africa’s  peace  and  security  architecture, 
underpinning the leadership of the AU and the sub-regional organisations. It is time now, 
building on this experience, to set up a more comprehensive EU approach complementing 
these  Community  instruments  through  CFSP/ESDP  approaches.  A  common  EU  policy 
with  regard  to  the  different  conflicts  in  Africa  is  therefore  needed.  The  EU  should  also 
pursue  a  common  policy  responding  to  UN  Secretary  General  Kofi  Annan’s  call  for 
establishing  an  interlocking  system  of  peacekeeping  capacities,  exploring  the  synergies 
between  the  different  organisations  involved  and  developing  organisational  capacities  of 
African  institutions,  in  particular  through  a  proposed  ten-year  capacity  building  plan  for 
the AU.  

•  Disarm to break the conflict cycle. First, efforts to achieve coherent regional and national 
strategies  for  disarmament,  demobilisation,  reintegration  and  reinsertion  (DDRR)  should 
be supported in order to contribute to the reintegration of ex-combatants – including child 
soldiers  –  and  stabilisation  of  post-conflict  situations.xiv  This  work  can  draw  on  the 
experience in central Africa, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where 
a  wide  range  of  activities,  ranging  from  the  collection  and  destruction  of  arms  to  the 
development of a national army (e.g. through centres de brassage) are at present deployed. 
The EU should also promote an integrated approach  to address the  proliferation of small 
arms  and  light  weapons  (SALW)  as  well  as  landmines  (see  Box  1).  To  this  end,  the 
Commission recently launched two wide-ranging pilot projects supported by the European 
Parliament. On the basis of these and other experience, the EU should define a collective, 

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comprehensive  and  cross-cutting  EU  approach  to  address  the  diverse  features  of  the 
problem, building on both first pillar and CSFP/ESDP instruments.  

•  Sustain  peace  in  post-conflict  situations  by  developing  a  more  coherent  and  smooth 
transition  between  short-term  (humanitarian  assistance)  and  long-term  (development) 
strategies  in  post-conflict  situations.  The  proposed  Stability  Instrument  will  contribute 
significantly  to  improve  the  EU’s  capacity  to  respond  to  crises  and  post-crisis 
reconstruction  by  providing  a  single  legal  instrument,  taking  into  account  that  post-crisis 
stabilisation requires a sustained and flexible engagement and a high degree of flexibility 
in  decision-making  and  budget  allocation.  The  EU  should  promote  an  integrated  and 
comprehensive  political  dialogue  and  policy  mix  supported  by  appropriate  instruments 
while  strengthening  implementation  of  its  linking  relief,  rehabilitation  and  development 
integrate  socially  and 
transition  strategies  should  also 
(LRRD)  efforts.  These 
environmentally  durable  solutions  for  refugees  and  other  vulnerable  groups.  The  EU 
should also develop a strategy and capacity to foster security sector reform (SSR) in Africa, 
which will take into account the related institutions and capacity building programmes of 
the EC and Member States, whilst identifying the scope of action to be pursued within the 
European  security  and  defence  policy  (ESDP)  framework.  Finally,  the  EU  welcomes  the 
establishment of a UN Peace-building Commission. 

•  Tackle  conflict  resources.  Access  to  and  exploitation  of  valuable  or  scarce  natural 
resources can be important contributing factors to the outbreak or continuation of conflicts. 
The  EU  should  continue  to  promote  effective  implementation  of  the  ‘Kimberley  Process 
Certification  Scheme’xv  for  diamonds  and  should  work  with  African  partners  to  improve 
the  control  and  traceability  of  other  potential  conflict  resources.  It  should  also  support 
Africa Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (AFLEG) through the implementation of 
the  EU  Action  Plan  for  Forest  Law  Enforcement,  Governance  and  Trade  (FLEGT).  This 
Action  Plan  sets  out  a  series  of  measures  to  tackle  illegal  logging,  addressing  good 
governance in developing countries while enhancing the opportunities of the EU’s internal 
market.  

Box 1: Fighting landmines as a prerequisite for peace (Angola) 

In  2002  the  civil  war  in  Angola  came  to  an  end.  The  omnipresence  of  landmines  and 
unexploded  ordinance,  however,  posed  a  serious  obstacle  to  the  general  recovery  of  the 
country and will remain a challenge for years to come. Estimates suggest that approximately 
4-5 million landmines are spread across Angola. The European Commission therefore decided 
to  put  in  place  a  €26m  Programme  of  Emergency  Mine  Action  for  Sustainable  Return  and 
Resettlement.  Through  a  combination  of  mine-clearance  and  institutional  capacity-building, 
the  programme  helped  Angola  to  overcome  the  legacy  of  almost  30  years  of  civil  war  and 
prepared  the  ground  for  the  country’s  sustained  development.  It  constitutes  a  model  for  all 
post-conflict countries. 

3.1.1.2.  Support legitimate and effective governance 

Together,  African  countries  have  signed  up  to  a  set  of  progressive  values  and  principles  of 
governance.  This  is  a  major  component  of  the  Euro-Mediterranean  Partnership  and  the 
European Neighbourhood Policy, and Northern African Countries which have agreed an ENP 
Action  Plan  have  taken  specific  commitments  in  that  respect.  It  is  equally  central  in  the 
Cotonou Agreement and the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement (TDCA). Some 
of them have even committed themselves to being regularly monitored  in the framework of 

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the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), a unique tool for peer review and peer learning 
and  basis  for  reform.  Historical,  human  and  cultural  heritages  must  be  taken  into 
consideration when supporting and monitoring these processes. While these improvements are 
tangible, it is clear that the path towards sustainable democracy in Africa is difficult, long and 
rarely straight. Securing respect for the full range of human rights and the rule of law remains 
a major challenge. Strict restrictions on the right to assembly and the freedom of organisation 
and  expression  are  still  in  place  in  many  countries.  Reliable  information  is  still  limited, 
corruption  is  often  endemic,  and  violence  against  political  opponents  is  commonplace. 
Indeed, many African countries suffer from a dual crisis of legitimacy, i.e. weakness, or even 
absence, of a genuine social contract between state and citizen, and ineffectiveness, i.e. limited 
capacity  to  deliver  basic  social  services.  The  result  is  a  growing  disconnect  between  the 
‘legality’  of  the  state  apparatus  and  its  ‘legitimacy’  in  the  eyes  of  ordinary  people.  While 
genuinely  democratic  elections  create  legitimacy  and  stability,  too  often  elections  instead 
become  a  source  of  conflict  because  they  are  flawed  or  because  the  losing  side  does  not 
accept defeat. The organisation and role of the state – often reflecting the legacies of the past 
– is therefore a crucial issue. Primary responsibility for building democracy lies in the hands 
of Africa’s people and of its ruling class. Governments and other public institutions need to 
increase  their  dialogue  with  civil  society  on  policy  issues  to  create  more  transparency  and 
engagements  on  critical  choices  for  development.  They  have  to  deliver  what  they  have 
pledged. 

There  is  a  strong  linkage  between  the  promotion  of  development  and  the  promotion  of 
democracy.  It  is  clear  that  democracy  cannot  be  created  or  imposed  by  domestic  elites  or 
external actors but the promotion of sustainable socio-economic development can contribute 
to foster a greater demand for democracy. The appropriate role of external actors is therefore 
instead to support and encourage domestic efforts to build, strengthen and sustain democratic 
norms,  procedures  and  institutions.  In  order  to  address  the  twin  problems  of  weak  and 
ineffective governance, the EU will support legitimate and effective governance as a second 
central prerequisite for development and, thus, for attaining the MDGs. Specific action should 
include: 

•  Reform of the State (1): Build effective and credible central institutions. The construction 
of stronger central institutions is a shared objective at all levels of governance, including 
the regional and pan-African layers (see above on subsidiarity). Strengthening the capacity 
of  African  countries  will  enhance  respect  for  human  rights,  freedoms  of  citizens,  good 
governance and effectiveness of the State and deserves the EU’s full support. This should 
include  support  for  the  police  and  judiciary  system  and  other  institutions  in  emerging 
democracies,  including  the  national  ombudsman,  the  court  of  auditors  and  inclusive 
election  commissions.  It  also  includes  the  strengthening  of  public  financial  management 
(PFM)  systems,  most  notably  through  the  mainstreaming  of  the  public  financial 
management  performance  measurement 
the 
strengthened approach to supporting PFM reforms.xvi Finally, it includes reinforcement of 
the  capacity  of  Africa’s  national  parliaments  so  that  they  can  perform  their  legislative, 
oversight – including corruption-fighting – and representative functions better. Parliaments 
are the legitimate institutions for security sector reform (SSR), conflict resolution, national 
integration  and  reconciliation,  but  also  for  the  co-design  of  their  countries’  development 
strategies.  

implementation  of 

framework  and 

•  Reform  of  the  State  (2):  Develop  local  capacity.  A  systematic  dialogue  with  national 
governments  and  local  authorities  should  be  launched  on  how  best  to  support 

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decentralisation processes. Decentralisation empowers people and strengthens democracy, 
development strategy and action. Decentralisation allows a fair share of income to remain 
within  regions  instead  of  being  absorbed  by  the  centre.  In  addition,  decentralisation  also 
allows  cities  and  rural  communities  to  participate  in  conflict  prevention  and  thereby 
transforming  military  claims  into  political  claims.  In  the  past,  the  Commission  has,  for 
example,  supported  the  successful  decentralisation  process  in  Mali,  which  contributed  to 
peacefully  defusing  the  Tuareg  uprising.  Another  instructive  example  is  Rwanda  which, 
following  the  genocide  of  1994,  has embarked on an ambitious process  of decentralising 
administrative power in the framework of reconstruction of the state.  

•  Launch a Governance Initiative. The EU should back African-owned efforts to improve 
governance.  The  EU  must  encourage  and  support  African  countries  systematically  to 
develop  good  governance  plans  within  their  national  PRSP.  One  powerful  tool  to  boost 
efforts  further  is,  in  particular,  the  voluntary  African  Peer  Review  Mechanism  (APRM) 
and  the  reforms  that  it  will  trigger.  To  this  end,  the  Commission  should  launch  a 
Governance Initiative that will encourage participation in the APRM process and provide 
further support to African countries for the implementation of their APRM-driven reforms. 
This  support  should  be  additional  to,  and  fully  in  line  with,  poverty  reduction  strategy 
papers  and  should  respect  African  ownership  both  of  the  process  and  of  the  reforms 
pursued. 

•  Reinforce  respect  for  human  rights  and  democracy.  To  encourage  further  sharing  of 
expertise  and  resources,  an  EU-Africa  Forum  on  human  rights  should  be  set  up.  This 
Forum  will  be  underpinned  by  a  network  of  human  rights  experts  in  Africa  and  Europe, 
with the goal of addressing substantive and institutional human rights issues in the context 
of a sustained dialogue. The Forum could be convened several times per year, should feed 
into  major  dialogue  events  and  work  towards  the  effective  implementation  of  shared 
human  rights  commitments.  Beyond  this,  the  EU  will  make  every  possible  effort  for 
human rights issues to be discussed and addressed within the different forms of dialogue 
and  international  cooperation  (such  as  in  the  UN)  and  mainstreamed  into  development 
cooperation. The EU should also place particular emphasis on the promotion, respect and 
protection  of  children’s  rights  and  basic  needs,  as  well  as  the  promotion,  respect  and 
protection  of  women's  rights  and  gender  equality.  For  Northern  Africa,  the  Commission 
Communication on the Tenth Anniversary of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership proposed 
the creation of a Governance Facility that will serve to promote reform, through supporting 
and rewarding those partners that show a clear commitment to common democratic values 
and to political reform. 

•  Promote  gender  equality.  The  EU  should  ensure  that  gender  equality  is  fully  taken  into 
account  in  all  partnerships  and  in  national  development  strategies  including  in  poverty 
reduction strategies. In Africa women constitute the majority of both urban and rural poor. 
The EU should give priority to the elimination of illiteracy especially among girls and the 
promotion  of  their  equal  access  to  education,  to  investment  in  Sexual  and  Reproductive 
Health  (SRH)  in  order  to  combat  HIV/AIDS  pandemic,  to  the  reduction  of  maternal  and 
child  mortality,  and  to  the  participation  of  women  in  conflict  prevention,  peace  building 
and reconstruction. 

•  Fight  corruption  and  organised  crime  and  promote  good  governance  in  the  financial, 
tax and judicial areas. The EU should sustain and accelerate the process of ratification of 
the  UN  Convention  against  Corruption,  a  central  plank  of  which  is  the  requirement  that 

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countries  confiscate  and  repatriate  illicit  assets,  and  the  UN  Convention  against 
International  Organised  Crime.  The  EU  should  also  promote  full  implementation  of  the 
Extractive  Industries  Transparency  Initiative  (EITI),  encourage  its  African  partner 
countries to join the Initiative and request EU companies and companies active on the EU 
market  to  disclose  information.  This  scheme  could  also  be  extended  to  other  industries, 
such  as  forestry  and  fisheries.  In  addition,  the  EU  Member  States  should  also  live  up  to 
their  commitments  under  the  OECD  Anti-Bribery  Convention.  Moreover  the  EU  should 
encourage the adoption and implementation of international standards relating to the fight 
against money laundering, terrorism, tax fraud and tax avoidance. The EU also encourages 
African  Countries’  to  sign  and  implement  the  main  international  instruments  of  crime 
prevention,  like  the  UN  Convention  against  Transnational  Organized  Crime  and  its 
protocols  and  the  UN  Convention  against  Corruption.  The  EU  should  also  address  the 
limited  institutional  and  technical  capacity  of  African  countries  to  deal  with  organized 
crime  and  drugs  in  an  effective  and  comprehensive  manner,  through  the  development  of 
internal strategies as well as capacity building.  

3.1.2.  Creating a positive economic environment  

3.1.2.1.  Boost economic growth 

Despite improvements in economic performance, Africa continues to be marginalised in the 
international economy. In an increasingly globalised world economy, Africa accounts for only 
about  2%  of  world  trade  and  its  share  of  global  manufactured  exports  is  almost  negligible. 
Most  African  countries  have  been  unable  to  diversify  their  exports  and  often  remain 
dependent on a limited number of agricultural or mining commodities which are sensitive to 
price changes and long term falls. Industrial activity is often linked to these resources, and in 
particular  in  mining,  is  often  capital-intensive  and  creates  few  jobs.  Without  increased 
economic  growth  and  private  investment,  few  African  countries  will  have  the  sustainable 
revenues they need to deliver basic social services such as education and health care. Boosting 
economic  growth  will  thus  be  a  key  factor  in  achieving  the  MDGs.  Indeed,  to  increase  the 
chance of halving poverty by 2015, it has been calculated that Africa needs to achieve yearly 
average growth of at least 8%. 

In  order  to  ensure  that  globalisation  can  become  a  positive  force  for  Africa’s  development, 
EU action should stimulate sufficiently rapid, broad-based and sustainable economic growth 
in order to contribute to an effective reduction of poverty. Specific action should include: 

•  Support  macroeconomic  stability.  Macroeconomic  and  structural  policies  encourage 
private investment and stimulate pro-poor growth. Implementation of such policies will be 
particularly important in those countries which currently enjoy high oil and gas revenues. 
To  ensure  that  these  measures  deliver  improvements  in  the  lives  of  poor  people,  the  EU 
should provide particular support  for national strategies for poverty reduction that reflect 
wide  domestic  ownership  and  provide  a  broader  context  for  prudent  macroeconomic 
policies that promote pro-poor growth. 

•  Creation of integrated regional markets (South-South trade). Creating integrated regional 
markets is at the heart of the concept of the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) that 
the EU is currently negotiating with four Sub-Saharan regions of Africa. These innovative 
agreements are being designed with development as the major objective and benchmark.xvii 
This  process  of  integration  and  of  fostering  trade  will  continue  to  be  accompanied  by 
substantial  and  increasing  financial  support,  notably  for  building  trade  capacities  and  for 

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the  implementation  of  supply  side  reforms.  Already  the  main  donor  in  this  area,  the  EU 
should  step  up  its  trade  related  assistance  to  Africa.  This  assistance  will  be  used  to 
strengthen in-country and regional trade policy and negotiation capacity, to assist countries 
with  the  implementation  of  the  WTO  agreements  and  EPAs  and  to  address  supply  side 
constraints  in  areas  including  regulatory  issues,  food  safety,  product  standards  in  export 
markets. Supporting an ambitious trade facilitation agenda, one of the objectives of the on-
going DDA round, will also be part of the EPAs, in order to improve customs procedures 
and  formalities,  including  transit  regimes,  which  are  of  special  relevance  for  Africa’s 
landlocked  countries.  The  removal  of  current  barriers  to  intra-regional  trade  and 
investment  and  the  establishment  of  more  stable,  transparent  and  predictable  rules  and 
reliable  institutions  will  contribute  significantly  to  the  growth  of  local  and  regional 
economies.  An  important  example  of  this  process  is  the  recent  Agadir  Free  Trade 
Agreement  signed  in  February  2004  between  Jordan,  Egypt,  Tunisia  and  Morocco  and 
supported by the European Commission. Looking further into the future, and in accordance 
with the AU long term vision, the EPA should also act as building blocs for the progressive 
creation  of  a  single  African  economic  space.  In  order  to  be  able  to  benefit  more  from 
increased  opportunities  to  trade  and  to  ensure  that  benefits  from  increased  trade  are 
distributed  more  evenly,  trade  needs  to  be  better  integrated  into  national  development 
strategies and in particular into poverty reduction strategies. The EU should assist Africa in 
this process so to enable African governments to effectively use trade as a policy tool to 
reduce poverty. 

•  Increased  market  access  and  trade  (North-South  trade).  For  Northern  Africa,  the 
ambitious  process  leading  to  the  creation  of  an  Euro-Mediterranean  Free  Trade  zone  by 
2010 will be achieved through the implementation of the existing Association Agreements. 
For  sub-Saharan  Africa,  the  EU  has  provided  tariff  and  quota  free  access  for  the  poorest 
African  countries.  In  the  EPA  negotiations,  the  EU  should  provide  effectively  improved 
market  access  and  simplify,  harmonise  and  render  rules  of  origin  more  development 
friendly.  It  should  also  continue  to  encourage  other  major  developed  or  developing 
countries to follow its example. Moreover, it should assist African countries in their efforts 
in  bringing  its  products  to  EU  and  world  markets,  to  comply  with  rules  and  standards, 
notably in the sanitary and phytosanitary areas, and to negotiate preferential market access 
for  goods  and  services.  In  respect  of  opening  access  to  the  African  markets  for  EU 
products, the EPAs foresee transition periods compatible with their development needs and 
constraints, with adequate protection for sensitive sectors where needed. In order to ensure 
Africa’s  gradual  integration  into  the  multilateral  trading  system,  the  EU  will  continue  to 
assist  Africa  in  negotiating  and  taking  advantage  of  the  new  opportunities  arising  from 
multilateral  trade  liberalisation  while  strengthening  the  social  dimension  of  globalisation 
and  promoting  productive  employment  and  decent  work  opportunities.  To  reduce  the 
impact  of  price  shocks  on  commodity  dependant  countries,  the  EC  should  introduce 
innovative insurance instruments to complement its existing FLEX mechanism.  

•  Stimulate private-sector development. The promotion of a stable, efficient and harmonised 
legal  framework  for  business  is  another  vital  key  to  growth.  This  has  been  pursued  in 
Northern  Africa  through  the  Euro-Mediterranean  Partnership  and  promoted  using 
assistance from the MEDA programme. The European Investment Bank has also played a 
key  role  through  the  Facility  for  Euro  Mediterranean  Investment  Partnership  (FEMIP). 
Through  the  ENP  Action  Plans,  the  EU  and  relevant  Northern  African  countries  have 
agreed  to  address  a  wide  range  of  regulatory  and  other  issues  which  hamper  the 
development  of  the  private  sector.  In  addition,  with  a  more  specific  sub-Saharan  Africa 

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focus,  the  Commission  will  convene  in  2006  a  Euro-African  Business  Forum  bringing 
together entrepreneurs and public and private investors from both Europe and Africa. This 
Forum  will  support  and  be  complementary  to  the  emerging  regional  business  fora 
established  or  nurtured  with  African  regions  in  the  context  of  the  EPA  negotiations.  It 
should  draw  up  a  Plan  of  Action  for  the  private  sector,  aiming  at  fostering  investment, 
boosting industry and creating jobs. The Forum could also discuss the adoption of a code 
of  conduct  on  issues  such  as  corruption,  transparency  and  fair  working  conditions. 
Improved  access  for  SMEs  to  financial  and  non-financial  services,  support  for  the 
development  of  micro-finance  and  promotion  of  partnerships  between  the  public  and 
private  sectors  should  be  pursued,  for  example  by  encouraging  innovative  business 
initiatives enabled by low-cost electronic communications. In South Africa, support for the 
Department of Trade and Industry’s SWEEEP programme is contributing to the expansion 
of  the  “Black  Economic  Empowerment”  enterprises  (see  Box  2).  To  make  sure  that  the 
development  of  the  private  sector  is  translated  into  more  and  better  work  for  all,  the 
establishment  of  national  action  plans  or  programmes  on  employment  and  decent  work 
should be encouraged in close cooperation with partner countries and organisations such as 
the AU, NEPAD and the ILO. Pilot programmes on decent work, such as that in Ghana, 
have  showed  their  potential  for  success.  In  this  context,  extension  of  the  Youth 
Employment Network (YEN)xviii could play a positive role. 

Box 2: Linking industrial growth with black empowerment (South Africa) 

Following  the  end  of  apartheid  in  South  Africa,  the  government  decided  to  make  a  radical 
change  in  the  economic  and  industrial  policy  of  the  country.  The  Department  of  Trade  and 
Industry put in place an Integrated Manufacturing Strategy (IMS) to boost industrial growth 
combined  with  a  long-term  Strategy  for  Small  Business  Development  and  Black  Economic 
Empowerment.  The  core  objective  of  the  IMS  is  to  accelerate  at  the  same  time  growth  and 
employment,  while  reducing  the  racial  and  geographical  inequalities  present  in  society.  In 
2003 the European Commission decided to support this policy through a €25 million Sector-
Wide Enterprise, Employment and Equity Programme (SWEEEP). The first results are more 
than  encouraging  and  today  the  programme  stands  as  a  model  for  support  to  an  equitable 
industrial policy, linking formal and informal economies.  

Macroeconomic  stability,  the  creation  of  regional  markets  and  an  appropriate  private 
investment climate are preconditions for sustained growth. However, while such a pro-growth 
framework  is  crucial  for  sustainable  economic  development,  it  needs  to  be  accompanied  by 
appropriate  measures  to  boost  and  diversify  production  and  to  establish  and  upgrade  the 
necessary infrastructure and networks. Specific action should include:  

•  Boost agriculture and ensure food security. In addition to the policies sustaining the rural 
sector,  the  EU  should  target  specific  support  on  increasing  the  competitiveness  and 
productivity  of  African  agriculture  through:  (i)  policies  and  programmes  to  improve  the 
functioning  of  national  and  regional  input  and  output  markets,  including  through  rural 
infrastructure  and  to  promote  organic  farming  and  fair  trade;  (ii)  the  management  of 
shocks,  in  particular  through  novel  insurance  instruments;  and  (iii)  the  strengthening  of 
pro-poor,  demand-driven  agricultural  research  and  extension,  in  particular  by  promoting 
research  collaboration  between  the  European  and  African  research  communities,  at  the 
level  of  the  Consultative  Group  on  International  Agricultural  Research  (CGIAR)  and  by 
supporting  regional  research  coordination  mechanisms.  All  these  areas  can  benefit  from 
supra-national  coordination  and  economies  of  scale.  In  areas  with  higher  levels  of 

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institutional  and  economic  development,  the  challenges  of  integrating  into  increasingly 
competitive and demand-driven chains and markets should be addressed as outlined in the 
EU Action Plan on Agricultural Commodity Chains.  

•  Exploit  fish  resources  sustainably.  The  EC  and  several  African  coastal  countries  have 
long  standing  bilateral  relations  in  the  fishery  sector.  The  new  generation  of  EC  fishery 
agreements,  the  Fishery  Partnership  Agreements  (FPAs),  implement  a  partnership 
approach.  This  approach  provides  regulated  access  rights  to  EC  fishing  vessels,  while  it 
also  pursues  the  conservation  and  sustainable  exploitation  of  local  fish  resources  and 
provides  support  to  the  development  of  the  local  fishery  sector.  This  approach  must  be 
implemented  through  a  policy  dialogue  that,  taking  into  account  the  financial  benefits  of 
fishery agreements provide a key contribution to the definition and implementation, by the 
coastal state, of the conditions of a policy of sustainable development of fishing activities 
in the waters of the countries concerned. 

3.1.2.2.  Interconnect Africa  

Limited  access  to  transport  and  communication  services,  water  and  sanitation,  and  energy 
constrains economic growth. These limitations, together with the missing links in cross-border 
connections  and  regional  networks,  mean  that  trade  and  commerce  often  become 
uncompetitive as transport and service costs in landlocked countries can reach three quarters 
of  a  country’s  total  export  value,  equivalent  for  example  to  a  75%  tax  on  Ugandan  clothes 
exports. In addition, potentially lucrative use of natural resources becomes unprofitable due to 
insufficient  or  unsuitable  infrastructure  and  trade  links.  Consequently,  national  economic 
growth  is  stifled  and  the  ability  of  African  countries  to  trade  competitively  at  regional, 
continental and international level is held back.  

The Commission therefore proposes to establish an EU-Africa Partnership for Infrastructure 
to support and initiate programmes (Trans-African Networks) that facilitate interconnectivity 
at  continental  level  for  the  promotion  of  regional  integration.  The  Partnership  for 
Infrastructure  should  encompass  investments  in  trans-boundary  and  regional  infrastructure 
and  their  regulatory  frameworks  in  the  widest  sense:  transport  networks  (roads,  railways, 
inland waterways, ports and airports), water and energy infrastructure and connections as well 
as  ground-based  and  space-based  electronic  communications  infrastructure  and  services.xix 
The  Partnership  for  Infrastructure  is  based  on  a  number  of  central  principles.  Firstly,  the 
Partnership’s  success  depends  on  coherence  and  complementarity  with  the  action  taken  at 
country  and  regional  levelxx  and  its  long-term  sustainability.  Such  sustainability  is  secured 
through  the  development  of  national  operators  and  service  providers  as  well  as  regional 
entities.xxi Secondly, by bringing Africa and Europe into a closer relationship the Partnership 
will  ensure  African  ownership  through  close  engagement  with  the  African  continental  and 
regional institutions – the AU and the RECs – in accelerating the AU-NEPAD Action Plan on 
Infrastructure.  Effective  support  for  this  Plan  by  the  Partnership  demands  a  substantive 
increase in funding levels and the deployment of flexible methods of financing.  

Concretely, the EU will initially set up a task force that combines EC and EIB resources and 
expertise open to Member States and their development financial institutions. This approach 
will  enable  an  early  start  up  of  the  Partnership  and  provides  flexibility  for  designing  an 
appropriate  institutional  structure  that  seeks  efficient  implementation  and  successful 
outcomes. This EU task force will facilitate coordination, the mobilisation of the substantial 
funds  necessary  to  interconnect  Africa  and  through  participation  in  other  international 

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initiatives  enhance  its  effectiveness.  In  the  framework  of  this  Partnership,  specific  action 
should include: 

In general: 

•  Identify and address missing links. Missing links in trans-African and regional networks 
must be identified and prioritised to set up ‘Trans-African Networks labelled’ programmes. 
The  appropriate  international  and  regional  agreements  as  well  as  the  regulatory 
frameworks that improve network operations need to be harmonised and all undertakings 
must be based on solid research. AU/NEPAD has an overall monitoring and guiding role to 
play, including in pooling technical expertise. The RECs have responsibilities for defining 
their  regional  policy  action  and  priority  investment  programmes  for  transport  and 
communications in the economic and trade development of the region. 

By sector:  

•  Harmonise  transport  policies  through  support  to  the  Sub-Saharan  Africa  Transport 
Programme  (SSATP)  that  facilitates  the  harmonisation  of  sustainable  transport  policies 
between  regions  and  efficient  operations  along  regional  and  trans-African  corridors.  EU 
support  in  this  area  has  already  permitted  the  creation  of  “corridor  observatories”  and 
improved  transit  transport  agreements.  The  EU  should  furthermore  support  development 
and  modernisation  of  access  to  ports  and  port  infrastructure,  emphasising  efficient  and 
non-discriminatory licensing procedures for ports facilities in order to promote sea going 
external trade. In addition, the EU should support the reform of the African aviation sector 
with  a  view  to  share  with  the  African  regional  organisations  the  experience  of  the  EC 
internal  market  and  consolidate  the  exchange  of  regulatory  and  operational  know-how, 
technology transferxxii and technical assistance, in particular in the area of safety, security 
and air traffic management. On the regulatory side, this new cooperation framework will 
have  to  bring  existing  bilateral  air  service  agreements  into  legal  conformity,  notably 
through  the  signature  of  so-called  “Horizontal  Agreements”xxiii  with  the  European 
Community. 

•  Develop integrated water management through support to the African Ministerial Council 
on  Water  (AMCOW)  and  to  regional  bodies,  such  as  river  basin  organisations,  for  the 
improvement of integrated water management in transboundary river basins. Through the 
EU Water Initiative and the associated Water Facility, the EU has already launched support 
for the Nile Basin Initiative and in five river basins (Kagera, Niger, Volta, Lake Chad and 
Orange-Senqu). For North Africa, building on a long established co-operation tradition, the 
focus  will  be  on  developing  sub-regional  energy  projects  to  promote  the  Euro-
Mediterranean Energy Market.  

•  Develop  cross-border  and  regional  energy  infrastructure  through  support  to  the  new 
Forum of Energy Ministers in Africa (FEMA) and to regional institutions and stakeholders 
for  developing  cross-border  and  regional  energy  infrastructure,  including  the  enhanced 
exploitation  of  renewable  and  other  sustainable  local  energy  sources  and  services.  This 
support  should  be  provided  in  the  framework  of  the  EU  Energy  Initiative  and  the 
associated  Energy  Facility.  Bridge  the  digital  divide  in  Africa  in  the  framework  of  the 
follow-up  to  the  World  Summit  on  the  Information  Society  (WSIS).  This  should  include 
supporting  the  development  of  advanced  and  low-cost  technologies  for  electronic 
communications and the development of regulatory frameworks to create a sound business 
environment  for  innovation,  growth  and  social  inclusion.  By  acting  as  early  adopters  of 

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new  technologies,  national  research  and  education  networks  can  develop  new  and 
innovative  methods  to  overcome  inadequacies  of  the  market,  e.g.  by  developing  cost-
effective  communications  solutions.  The  successful  model  used  in  north  Africa  to  link 
these networks with each other and to GÉANT in Europe should be extended to the Sub-
Saharan countries. The overall objective of these measures should be to bridge the digital 
divide  at  all  levels  –  within  countries,  between  countries  and  regions  as  well  as  between 
Africa and the rest of the world. 

3.1.3.  Tackle the MDGs directly 

3.1.3.1.  Put people at the centre of development  

40% of all Africans survive on less than one dollar a day. This stark poverty has consequences 
in  a  number  of  areas.  Only  six  out  of  ten  African  children  go  to  primary  school. 
Communicable  diseases,  in  particular  HIV/AIDS,  malaria  and  tuberculosis,  have  hit  Africa 
hardest  and  in  2004  alone  AIDS  killed  over  two  million  people  in  Sub-Saharan  Africa  and 
affected  another  three  million.  Africa’s  social  crisis  is,  in  particular,  a  phenomenon  of  the 
urban areas that have been expanding rapidly over the last few decades. While in 1975, 21% 
of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population lived in cities, today this figure stands at over 50%. This 
massive urbanisation has contributed to uncontrolled population growth and has rendered the 
social infrastructure inadequate.  

The  EU  should  therefore  help  to  make  health  education  and  basic  social  services  available 
for  the  poorest  people  in  Africa  (MDGs  1-6),  contributing  to  the  establishment  of  a  social 
safety net for the most vulnerable: women, elderly, children and disabled people. It will also 
help  encourage  employment  and  decent  work  as  a  key  tool  for  preventing  and  eradicating 
poverty.xxiv In this context, the EU should promote increased cooperation between state and 
non-state  actors  (NGOs,  private  sector,  trade  unions,  etc.)  to  ensure  greater  effectiveness  in 
service delivery. Specific action should include:  

•  Investing  in  minds.  To  stimulate  a  coherent  and  strategic  approach,  the  EU  should 
increasingly support primary education through sectoral budget support. At the same time, 
the  EU  should  support  education,  access  to  knowledge  and  transfer  of  know-how  as  a 
lifelong process going beyond primary education: from secondary and higher to vocational 
education. Emphasis should also be put on cooperation with Africa in higher education to 
build high-quality tertiary capacity through networking, mobility of students and scholars, 
and institutional support and innovation, including the use of ICTs, as is done in Northern 
Africa  countries  through  the  EC’s  TEMPUS  programme,  and  the  establishment  of  a 
communications  infrastructure  for  the  research  and  development  sector.  In  addition, 
building  on  the  success  of  and  experience  from  the  Erasmus  programme,  the  EU  should 
support  the  creation  of  a  Nyerere  programme  for  student  exchanges  across  Africa.xxv  In 
addition, a pilot scheme for student and teachers exchanges between Africa and Europe could 
be examined.xxvi This programme and scheme should also contribute to the development of 
Euro-African  networks  of  selected  universities  and  centres  of  excellence.  Africa  is  also 
invited to make full use of the opportunities offered by the Erasmus-Mundus programme 
for student exchanges between Africa and Europe, including through the possible creation 
of  a  specific  “Africa  window”  within  the  Erasmus-Mundus  programme,  similar  to  those 
already  created  for,  e.g.  China  and  India.  In  the  context  of  the  7th  RTD  Framework 
Programme that will come into force in 2007, the EU should facilitate networking between 
researchers from non-EU countries working in the EU and research organisations in their 
countries of origin. 

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•  Deliver  decent  health  care.  The  strengthening  of  national  health  systems  and  capacity, 
including  the  improvement  of  health  infrastructures  and  the  provision  of  essential, 
universal and equitable health services is key and requires sustained financing. The EU is 
developing a coherent and coordinated response to the crisis in human resources for health, 
which  will  support  the  needs  identified  in  the  NEPAD  Health  Strategy.  The  EU  is  also 
supporting the replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria 
with  a  view  to  maximising  benefits  for  Africa.  In  addition,  the  EU  is  contributing  to  the 
development of new drugs and vaccines against communicable diseases, inter alia through 
the European and Developing countries Clinical Trials Partnerships (EDCTP). In response 
to  the  Council’s  request,xxvii  the  Commission  should,  together  with  the  Member  States, 
develop a roadmap on possible joint action based on the European Programme for Action 
to  confront  HIV/AIDS,  malaria  and  tuberculosis.xxviii  The  EU  should,  in  this  context, 
promote  synergies and  provide  a coherent and coordinated response to the three diseases 
across  relevant  policy  areas.xxix  In  this  sense,  the  Commission  intends  to  put  forward  a 
Communication  on  combating  HIV/AIDS  within 
the 
Neighbouring  countries  later  this  year.  The  EU  has  been  at  the  forefront  of  international 
efforts  to  ensure  access  to  essential  medicines  for  developing  countries.  These  efforts 
contributed  to  the  adoption  of  the  Doha  Declaration  on  TRIPs  and  public  health  in 
November  2001,  which  confirms  the  right  of  WTO  members  to  use  flexibilities  in  the 
TRIPs Agreement, including issuing compulsory licenses of pharmaceutical products, for 
reasons of public health.  

the  European  Union  and 

•  Expand access to water supply, sanitation, energy and ICTs. The Africa-EU Partnership 
on  water  affairs  and  sanitation,  launched  at  the  WSSD  in  the  context  of  the  EU  Water 
Initiative, will be the framework for EU efforts to make more sustainable use of available 
and  finite  water  resources,  to  meet  basic  water  and  sanitation  needs  and  contribute  to 
improving  water  resources  management  at  local,  river  basin,  national  and  transboundary 
levels.  The  Water  Facility  acts  as  a  catalyst  to  support  these  processes  and  to  mobilise 
additional resources. The EU Energy Initiative, also launched at the WSSD, will continue 
to  be  a  framework  for  EU  efforts  to  increase  access  to  affordable  energy  services  that 
facilitate  economic  and  social  development.  The associated Energy Facility will  leverage 
resources  for  mobilising  additional  investment  in  delivery  of  affordable,  reliable  and 
sustainable energy services to the poor, notably from renewable energy resources, as well 
as  for  the  development  of  clean  and  energy  efficient  technologies  for  gas  and  oil 
production.  Projects  in  the  energy  sector  should  also  systematically  include  energy 
efficiency objectives. The EC COOPENER programme also focuses support on energy for 
sustainable development and poverty alleviation, providing co-financing to projects aiming 
at  creating  the  institutional  conditions  for  improved  access  to  energy  in  Sub-Saharan 
Africa. 

•  Stimulate  employment policies and decent work. Action to promote decent work for all in 
line  with  the  ILO  agenda  is  essential  and  should  cover  measures  and  initiatives  on 
employment,  social  protection,  rights  at  work,  including  core  labour  standards  (CLSs), 
social  dialogue  and  gender  equality.xxx  The  Argane  project  in  Morocco  is  an  instructive 
example  of  how  the  EU  can  support  gender  equality,  employment  and  environmental 
protection  in  mutually  reinforcing  ways  (see  box  3).  The  EU  should,  in  particular, 
contribute  to  strengthening  labour  market  institutions  and  players,  including  employers’ 
and workers’ organisations and social dialogue between them. In this context, core labour 
standards  should  be  further  promoted,  as  essential  prerequisites  for  the  effective 
functioning of the labour market. 

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Box 3: Increasing female employment (Morocco)  

In  south-west  Morocco  the  Commission  and  the  EIB  have,  since  2003,  financed  a  €40m 
project  to  improve  the  living  conditions  of  women  working  with  the  argana  tree.  The 
attraction  of  argana  oil  has  directly  benefited  4,500  women  giving  them  sustained  revenue 
over  a  long  period  of  time.  As  a  result,  these  women  have  become  strong  advocates  of 
sustainable management of the trees, which are crucial in the fight against deforestation. This 
project  is  therefore  a  good  example  of  how  the  EU  can  support  gender  employment  and 
environmental protection in mutually reinforcing ways.  

These measures, important as they are, will, however, not in themselves be enough to redress 
existing  inequalities  and  lack  of  social  cohesion  which  hamper  efforts  to  attain  the  MDGs. 
These  are  complex  multi-faceted  problems  which  require  multi-faceted  and  comprehensive 
responses. Action will therefore also be required in the following cross-cutting areas: 

•  Sustain and promote cultural diversity. Africa’s cultural diversity and linguistic heritage 
should be preserved by stimulating and protecting cultural production, promoting access to 
culture  and  supporting  cultural  industries,  including  by  protecting  authors'  rights.  The 
forthcoming  UNESCO  Convention  on  the  Protection  and  Promotion  of  the  Diversity  of 
Cultural  Expressions  will  offer  a  new  international  framework  to  promote  international 
cooperation  aiming  at  preserving  cultural  diversity.  Culture  determines  the  way  societies 
and economies function and is therefore crucial to the success of any development effort. 
Diversity  is  an  asset,  not  an  obstacle,  as  experience  in  the  EU  shows.  In  addition  to 
providing support for various cultural programmes and exchanges, it is thus also necessary 
to  take  the  cultural  dimension  into  account  in  development  processes  and  to  promote  in-
depth local, national, regional and continental inter-cultural dialogue. One key component 
in  accelerating  this  dialogue  between  Europe  and  Africa  is  the  launching  of  twinning 
partnerships bringing together African and European universities and schools, parliaments, 
towns  and  cities,  municipalities,  businesses  and  industries,  trade  unions,  civil  society 
networks and museums. In the same vein, the EU could launch a European programme for 
young people who want to learn more about, and get involved in, Africa’s development.xxxi 
The  key  product  from  these  partnerships  would  be  a  vast  and  wide-ranging  network  of 
deep,  well-founded,  institutional  support  partnerships,  cementing  the  bonds  between  the 
two continents.  

•  Improve  sustainable  territorial  management  through  the  development  of  an  integrated 
approach  to  support  sustainable  urban  development,  based  on  the  twin  pillars  of  good 
urban governance and good urban management. In addition, the EU should support better 
territorial  development  and  land  use  planning.  Action  in  these  fields  is  all  the  more 
necessary as the progressive emptying of the countryside has widened the gap between the 
haves and the have-nots in Africa. The EU should develop innovative approaches to local 
transparency  and 
development  which, 
accountability in the management of natural resources. Such approaches strengthen the role 
of  secondary  centres  as  development  hubs  for  their  rural  surroundings  and  improve  the 
livelihoods  of  rural  populations.  Land  reform  will  also  play  a  vital  role  in  bridging  the 
social gap and the EU is determined to support it. In this endeavour, the EU is providing 
support to the timely access to Earth Observation data which has proven particularly well 
adapted to the African context.  

through  participatory  planning, 

reinforce 

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•  Turn migration into a positive force in the development process. As stated in the recent 
Commission communication ‘Migration and Development’,xxxii migration can be a positive 
force  for  development  in  both  Africa  and  Europe.  This  approach  will  continue  to  be 
promoted,  and  enhanced,  inter  alia  by  making  it  easier,  cheaper  and  safer  for  African 
migrants living in the EU to send money back to their countries of origin, by turning brain 
drain into ‘brain gain’, by helping African countries tap into the potential available in their 
diasporas in Europe and by facilitating various forms of brain circulation, including return 
migration and temporary or virtual return by which African migrants can make their skills 
available  to  their  home  countries.  Particular  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  human 
resources crisis in Africa’s health-care sector. At the same time, the EU should pay greater 
attention to intra-African forced migration and refugee flows, as vectors for economic and 
political destabilisation and will support African countries in their efforts to deal with these 
flows. At the same time, security is a major preoccupation of citizens and governments, not 
least around the Mediterranean, and enormous progress – extending also to related issues 
of illegal migration & trafficking of human beings – has been made in the cooperation & 
coordination  between  the  EU  and  its  North  African  partners  in  particular.  Such  work 
remains a high priority, and is clearly recognised as such in the Barcelona process and the 
ENP Action Plans.  

3.1.3.2.  Build an environmentally sustainable future  

Many Africans rely heavily on natural resources for their subsistence, particularly in times of 
crisis, for example during famines or conflicts or in the wake of natural disasters. However, 
Africa’s  environment  is  fragile  and  prone  to  water  shortages,  climate  change  and 
desertification.  Current  population  growth  and  agricultural  expansion  have  caused  land 
shortages and the intensification of agriculture has contributed to further land degradation. An 
estimated  65  million  people  living  in  or  near  forests  depend  on  forest  production  for  their 
livelihood.  These  forests  are  now  coming  under  increasing  pressure  for  commercial 
exploitation.  

The EU will therefore assist Africa to protect its environment, one of its most valuable assets. 
Specific action should include:  

•  Manage environmental diversity: forestry, fisheries and water. First, in order to safeguard 
the jobs, rural livelihoods, environmental goods and services that forests provide, the EU 
should also support the sustainable management of forest resources. This should take the 
form of promotion of community-based forest management and improved governance for 
forest resources, as set out in the 1999 Communication on Forests and Development and 
the  EU  Action  Plan  for  Forest  Law  Enforcement,  Governance  and  Trade  (FLEGT). 
Second, the incorporation of clear mechanisms to ensure the sustainable use of fish stocks 
in national and regional policies will enhance the fight against illegal fishing, protect the 
marine and coastal environment and mitigate the harmful effects of fishing activities.xxxiii 
Third,  the  EU  should  enhance  its  efforts,  launched  with  the  African-European  Union 
Strategic  Partnership  on  Water  Affairs  and  Sanitation  (Johannesburg,  2002),  to  address 
integrated  water  management.  Through  twinning  partnerships  that  bring  together  African 
and  EU  scientists,  an  Africa  Observatory  for  Sustainable  Development  should  be 
established  to  generate  relevant  information  on  the  environment  conditions  and  the 
distribution  of  resources.  Similarly,  dedicated  information  systems  should  be  set  up  to 
detect and analyse early warning signs of potential crisis situations.  

Box 4: Space policy in support of sustainable development in Africa 

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The PUMA initiative, initiated at the request of five African RECs in 2000 and funded by the 
EU (11 M€), has ensured the access to information on the environment and satellite data to all 
53  African  countries  for  early  warning  of  natural  disasters,  improved  food  security,  better 
health management, more efficient water and energy use, while strengthening environmental 
monitoring.  The  Commission  has  provided  technical  support  (50  receiving  stations)  and 
capacity  building  (training  of  a  critical  mass  of  350  African  professionals).  PUMA, 
successfully completed in September 2005, is the precursor of the African Monitoring of the 
Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD) initiative requested by the same RECs, 
coordinated  by  the  AU,  in  its  2002  Dakar  Declaration.  AMESD  will  allow  all  African 
stakeholders to improve the management of their environment through a more efficient use of 
remote sensing and ICT data and information. AMESD will also be the African interface of 
the European GMES initiative. 

•  Stop  desertification  and  improve  sustainable  land  management  (SLM).  Operational 
partnerships  anchored  in  domestic  policies  will  ensure  appropriate  links  between  land 
degradation and poverty eradication, food security, sound water management, agriculture 
and rural development priorities. Successful participatory local experience and knowledge-
sharing  between  stakeholders  will  be  scaled  up  to  boost  implementation.  The  EU  should 
also  promote  the  integration  of  UN  Convention  to  Combat  Desertification  (UNCCD) 
National Action Plans (NAPs) into the national development strategies of African partners. 

•  Conserve biodiversity by supporting African regional, sub-regional and domestic efforts to 
implement the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), its Cartagena Protocol on 
Biosafety  and  CITES.  This  should,  in  particular,  cover  measures  relating  to  the  WSSD 
targets for significantly reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010, the establishment of 
representative  and  well-managed  protected  areas  systems  by  2012,  combating 
overexploitation  and  illegal  trade  in  wildlife  and  its  products.  Support  should  also  be 
provided for the African Biodiversity Network, to further work on alien invasive species, 
to regional preparatory processes for upcoming meetings under the CBD and to achieving 
a more effective implementation of domestic biosafety frameworks. The protection of the 
transborder  biosphere  in  Benin,  Burkina  Faso  and  Niger  is  a  good  example  of  effective 
regional cooperation relating to the conservation and management of natural resources.  

•  Counter the effects of climate change, including through the implementation of National 
Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) for African LDCs. This should be done within 
the  framework  of  the  recently  adopted  Action  Plan  accompanying  the  EU  Strategy  on 
Climate Change and Development. 

•  Support  the  sound  management  of  chemicals,  by  building  capacity  to  manage  risk,  by 
protecting human health and environment and by implementing the international chemicals 
conventions, agreements and projects, such as the African stockpile programme, to destroy 
obsolete pesticides. 

3.2. 

Increase EU financing for Africa 

Aid  flows  to  Africa  are  substantial  and  have  been  increasing  over  recent  years.  In  2003  the 
EU’s (Member States’ and the Commission’s) development aid to Africa totalled €15 billion, 
compared  to  €5  billion  in  1985.  With  this,  the  EU  is  by  far  the  biggest  donor:  its  ODA 
accounts  for  60%  of  the  total  ODA  going  to  Africa  (see  table).  This  document  shows, 

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however, that the objective of helping Africa to achieve the MDGs by the target year of 2015 
cannot be achieved unless an additional political and financial commitment is made to Africa. 

% of ODA to AFRICA - 2003

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

% of total
ODA to
Africa

Japan

IDA

EC

USA

UN

EU

EU  Member  States  set  new  aid  targets.  In  June  2005  the  European  Council  made  such  an 
ambitious  commitment.  The  EU  agreed  new  targets  for  Official  Development  Assistance 
(ODA) and committed itself collectively to increase ODA to 0.56% of GNI by 2010 and 0.7% 
by  2015.  Compared  to  what  is  expected  in  2006,  this  commitment  should  result  in  an 
estimated additional  €20 billion per  year in ODA by 2010  and  an additional €46  billion per 
year by 2015. The EU also agreed to allocate at least 50% of this agreed increase to Africa. If 
implemented correctly, this will mean that by 2015 the EU collectively will be disbursing an 
additional €23 billion a year in Africa. Finally, the EU also called upon other donors and non-
OECD  countries  to  join  this  global  effort.  It  is  now  time  to  put  these  commitments  into 
practice and the Commission should closely monitor their implementation.  

Also  innovative  financing  mechanisms  can  contribute  to  the  financing  necessary  to  achieve 
the MDGs. Some Member States will implement the International Finance Facility (IFF) as a 
mechanism  to  frontload  resources  for  development.  A  group  of  countries  have  already 
launched the IFF for immunisation, making firm financial commitments. A group of Member 
States  will  implement  a  contribution  on  airline  tickets  to  enable  financing  development 
projects, in particular in the health sector, directly or through financing the IFF. Some other 
EU Member States are considering whether and to what extent they will participate in these 
initiatives or otherwise continue to enhance traditional ODA. 

A more ambitious Community financial framework. In order to increase Europe’s collective 
leverage,  the  Community  financing  should  be  increased  substantially.  Approximately 
€4 billion  shall  be  available  on  an  annual  basis  for  Sub-Saharan  Africa  under  the  post-9th 
European Development Fund (EDF) multi-annual financial framework for the ACP and other 
thematic and horizontal budget lines. In the framework of the conclusion of the negotiations 
on revision of the Cotonou Agreement, on 21 February 2005 the Council committed itself to 
“maintain its aid effort to the ACP countries at least at the level of the 9th EDF, not including 
balances; to this should be added the effects of inflation, growth within the European Union, 
and enlargement to take in 10 new Member States in 2004, based on Community estimates.” 
This  EU  Strategy  for  Africa  should  constitute  the  reference  framework  for  the  programmes 
and action under the post-9th EDF. In order to maximise their impact these funds should be 
allocated through national, regional and intra-ACP indicative programmes on the basis of the 

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principles of differentiation, subsidiarity and institutional sustainability. For northern Africa, 
the European Neighbourhood Policy in general and the implementation of the Action Plans in 
particular should be supported, from 2007 onwards, by a new dedicated financial instrument, 
the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument (ENPI), which will replace MEDA 
and other instruments currently operating in neighbouring countries.  

In line with the strategy outlined in this document, the new financial framework should foster 
regional, inter-regional and pan-African cooperation and integration. Support for cooperation 
between north African and Sub-Saharan countries, subject to different cooperation agreements 
with the EC, should be facilitated. The EU should also ensure that north African countries will 
be able to participate in inter-regional and pan-African initiatives financed from the EDF. The 
ENPI  should  also  include  provisions  for  supporting  cooperation  between  the  countries  of 
northern  Africa  and  their  Sub-Saharan  neighbours  on  issues  of  common  concern,  including 
migration.xxxiv  

3.3. 

A more effective EU approach 

Sound  development  policies  sustained  by  substantial  development  aid  are  crucial,  yet  they 
will  not  in  themselves  bring  about  any  change  unless  they  are  effectively  converted  into 
concrete  and  coherent  development  action.  Cumbersome  procedures  and  administrative 
requirements  often  place  a  heavy  burden  on  the  already  scarce  human  resources  of  the 
recipient countries. Arguably the cost of the lack of coordination and complementarity among 
donors  cannot  be  overestimated  and  it  is  Africa  that  suffers  most  under  this  burden.  This  is 
particularly important considering that the administrative capacity in most African countries is 
weak.  The  problems  are  exacerbated  by  the  fact  that  donors  apply  different  and  sometimes 
even contradictory procedures, demands and conditions.  

At Community level, the Commission has,  in the context of  the next Financial Perspectives 
2007-2013,  proposed  a  simplified  structure  for  the  delivery  of  the  Community’s  external 
assistance.  In  place  of  the  existing  range  of  geographical  and  thematic  instruments,  which 
have grown in an ad hoc manner over time, six instruments are proposed for the future. This 
new approach is geared towards facilitating coherence and consistency, and achieving better 
and more with resources available. Work has also been undertaken to improve financial and 
administrative  procedures,  and  the  Commission  has  proposed  revising  the  rules  in  the 
Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget which prevent smooth cooperation with 
beneficiaries  and  further  coordination  with  other  donors.  The  revised  Financial  Regulation 
should enter into force in January 2007, at the same time as the new cooperation instruments 
established  for  the  next  Financial  Perspectives.  The  proposed  amendments  include,  in 
particular,  changes  to  re-tenders,  grant  awards  and  (de)centralised  management.  They  also 
facilitate  co-financing  with  other  donors  as  they  allow  the  Commission  to  accept  financial 
contributions  from  Member  States  and  other  donors  for  projects  to  be  managed  by  the 
Commission and to delegate the Commission’s management powers to donors outside the EU. 

Also  at  EU  level,  major  commitments  for  a  more  coordinated  and  complementary 
development  policy  have  been  made,  most  recently  at  the  High-Level  Forum  on  Aid 
Effectiveness in Paris (March 2005). In May 2005 the General Affairs Council reconfirmed 
an  accelerated  effort  in  Africa  as  a  priority.  Moreover,  in  several  countries,  such  as 
Mozambique, Ethiopia, Uganda and Morocco, donors are establishing innovative mechanisms 
to improve aid effectiveness. On the basis of these commitments and experience, more can be 
done to move to practical action. The 26 EU players – the 25 Member States plus the EC – 
should take the lead in this process and set  an example through their joint  action. The New 

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Development Policy Statement creates a common framework for such action by the EU as a 
whole. Working principles and rules have been agreed,xxxv objectives, targets and benchmarks 
have been further specified.xxxvi 

Therefore it is now time to take tangible action in a structured way. While in specific areas 
firm  proposals  have  been  presented,  such  as  the  future  Peace  Facility,  the  EU-Africa 
Partnership  for  Networks  and  Infrastructure  and  the  EU  Governance  Initiative,  a  more 
systematic  approach  is  needed.  Therefore  the  EU  should  adopt  an  Action  Plan  on  Aid 
Effectiveness and apply it to Sub-Saharan Africa as a priority. The Plan will be presented in 
2006  and  should  build  on  four  initiatives,  based  on  the  decisions  taken  by  the  GAERC 
(November 2004) to be monitored following a set timetable: 

•  Make the EU donor atlas an operational tool for monitoring effectiveness. Going beyond 
the  successful  mapping  of  development  assistance,  the  donor  atlas  should  in  the  future 
become  an  operational  tool  for  the  annual  monitoring  of  the  EU’s  aid  effectiveness 
commitments and provide a mechanism that guides the EU’s future action.  

•  Establish  national  roadmaps  for  coordination.  Through  the  establishment  of  a  roadmap 
supporting local harmonisation processes in each African country, the EU will drastically 
reduce the transaction costs and help to build up its partners’ capacity and responsibilities. 

•  Adopt  joint  programming  documents.  Today  each  individual  EU  Member  State  and  the 
European  Commission  conclude  separate  programming  documents  with  each  recipient 
country.  The  adoption  by  the  EU  as  a  whole  of  a  Joint  Framework  for  multi-annual 
Programming 
improve  complementarity  and 
effectiveness  within  the  EU.  Based  on  previous  experience,  the  Commission  should 
propose a common format in the first half of 2006. 

therefore  considerably 

(JFP)  will 

•  Develop  common  procedures.  The  EU  must  simplify  existing  cumbersome  procedures, 
notably  through  the  establishment  of  a  Joint  Format  for  Financial  Agreements  (JFA). 
Based on experience gained in countries such as Zambia or Mozambique, the JFA implies 
a single dialogue, disbursement and support mechanism for all donors in each country. Co-
financing and pooling of funds should be systematically pursued.  

The EU should also improve the quality of its aid by making its aid delivery more transparent, 
predictable and result-oriented. To achieve these goals and to enhance its collective leverage, 
the EU should foster more general and sectoral budget support (see above on the concept of 
partnership).  Budget  support  programmes  offer  many  potential  advantages.  They  encourage 
greater ownership, reduce transaction costs, facilitate a more effective use of aid, since they 
are de facto untied, and, through the use of government procedures, contribute to long-term 
capacity building and sustainability. Budget support is used consistently with the obligations 
for  transparent  and  accountable  financial  and  administrative  management  of  development 
funds.  By  bringing  all  public  expenditure  within  the  budgetary  framework,  budget  support 
programmes also allow national governments to have a more optimal mix between capital and 
recurrent  expenditure.  All  these  factors,  when  combined  with  a  results  oriented  approach, 
raise the prospects of a much greater impact on service delivery and the fight against poverty.  

At  present  eligibility  for  budget  support  is  largely  framed  by  assessments  of  national  or 
sectoral policy, macroeconomic stability and improvements in public financial management, 
often drawing on the work of the IMF. While recognising the soundness of these criteria, it is 
important that the EU reaches its own judgement in accordance with its vision and interests in 

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certain  political  realities  and  development  needs.  It  is  therefore  recommended  that:  (i)  EU 
positions  are  made  more  visible  and  coordinated  within  the  IMF  decision-making  process; 
and (ii) innovative approaches are envisaged vis-à-vis fragile states or countries in transition, 
which  up  until  now  have  often  been  excluded  from  budget  support.  However,  in  these 
situations rather than pursuing short-term budgetary considerations the EU should instead be 
guided by a long-term strategic approach. Therefore, budget support, framed by a continuous 
and strong political dialogue and by stringent monitoring mechanisms, could be considered as 
an option. 

Finally,  there  may  still  be  a  need  for  broader  and  deeper  debt  relief.  Apart  from  remaining 
committed  to  full  implementation  of  the  enhanced  HIPC  initiative,  the  EU  would  consider 
supporting  new  international  initiatives,  which  might  for  example  cover  countries  emerging 
from conflict or suffering from external exogenous shocks.  

In addition, it is clear that sound scientific and technological knowledge is indispensable as a 
basis  for  strategic  and  sustainable  development  policies  and  for  efficient  and  effective 
development cooperation. 

4. 

CONCLUSIONS 

than  ever  before.  Governance  has 

In recent years, a forward-looking Africa has re-emerged on the international scene with more 
confidence,  dynamism  and  optimism 
improved 
considerably in recent years, sustained economic growth is being recorded for the first time in 
decades  and  the  AU/NEPAD  and  the  regional  organisations  have  provided  Africa  with 
political  and  economic  roadmaps  and  a  vision  for  the  future.  The  Cotonou  Agreement,  the 
Trade,  Development  and  Cooperation  Agreement  (TDCA), 
the  Euro-Mediterranean 
Partnership and the European Neighbourhood Policy provide an effective framework for EU-
Africa relations. Africa’s development is now at the top of the international political agenda 
and there is a broad international consensus on the basic action that needs to be taken. There 
is  now  a  unique  window  of  opportunity  to  give  Africa  a  decisive  push  towards  sustainable 
development.  

As a long-standing partner and close neighbour of Africa, the EU is well placed to assume a 
leading  role  in  this  process.  Europe  and  Africa  are  bound  together  by  common  history, 
interlocking  cultures  and  shared  objectives.  Sustainable  social,  economic  and  political 
development in Africa is therefore our common concern. While Africa embraces a new vision 
for the continent’s future, the EU has to answer its call with the same sense of responsibility 
and urgency. The next ten years (2005-2015) will be a watershed in relations between Europe 
and Africa. Together Africa and the EU should reinforce their efforts to tackle the scourge of 
HIV/AIDS, poverty, environmental degradation, violent conflict and the lack of basic social 
services and essential investment. The EU Strategy for Africa outlined in this communication, 
expected  to  be  adopted  by  the  European  Council  in  December  2005,  constitutes  the  EU’s 
response to the challenge of getting Africa back on the track of sustainable development and 
of  meeting  the  MDGs  by  the  target  year  of  2015.  This  is  our  common  mission,  and  our 
common duty.  

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Abbreviations 

ACP  
ADF  
AFLEG 
AIDS  
AMCOW  
APRM 
AU  
BWIs 
CAR  
CBD 
CGIAR  
CITES 

CLS  
COMESA  
CSP  
DAC  
DDA 
DDR  
DRC  
EC  
ECOFAC 

ECOWAS 
EDF  
EITI  
EMP 
ENP 
ENPI  
EPA  
ESDP  
EDCTP 
EIB 
EU 
FEMA 
FEMIP 
FLEGT  
FPA 
G8 
GDP 
GNI  
HIPC 
HIV 
ICPD 
ICT  
IDA 

Africa, Caribbean, Pacific 
Asian Development Fund 
Africa Forest Law Enforcement and Governance 
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome 
African Ministerial Council on Water 
African Peer Review Mechanism 
African Union 
Bretton Woods Institutions 
Central African Republic 
Convention on Biological Diversity (UN) 
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research 
Convention  on  International  Trade  in  Endangered  Species  of  wild  fauna 
and flora 
Core Labour Standards 
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa 
Country Strategy Paper 
Development Assistance Committee (of the OECD) 
Doha Development Agenda 
Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration 
Democratic Republic of Congo 
European Community 
Programme for Conservation and Rational Utilisation of Forest Ecosystems 
in Central Africa 
Economic Community of West African States 
European Development Fund 
Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative 
Euro-Mediterranean Partnership 
European Neighbourhood Policy 
European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument 
Economic Partnership Agreement 
European Security and Defence Policy 
European and Developing countries Clinical Trials Partnerships 
European Investment Bank 
European Union 
Forum of Energy Ministers in Africa  
Facility for Euro Mediterranean Investment Partnership 
Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade 
Fishery Partnership Agreements 
Group of 8  
Gross Domestic Product 
Gross National Income 
Highly Indebted Poor Countries 
Human Immunodeficiency Virus 
International Conference on Population and Development 
Information and Communications Technology 
International Development Association 

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ILO  
IMF  
LDC  
LICUS  
LRRD 
MDGs 
NAP 
NAPA 
NEPAD  
NGO  
NIP  
ODA  
OECD 
PFM  
PRSP  
REC  
RIP  
SADC 
SALW  
SLM  
SMEs  
SRH 
SSATP  
SSR  
SWEEEP  
TDCA 
TICAD 
TRIP 
UN  
UNCCC 
UNCCD  
UNAIDS  
WSIS 
WSSD  
WTO 
YEN  

International Labour Organization 
International Monetary Fund 
Least Developed Countries 
Low Income Countries Under Stress 
Linking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development 
Millennium Development Goals 
National Action Plan 
National Adaptation Programme of Action 
New Partnership for Africa’s Development 
Non-Governmental Organisation 
National Indicative Programme 
Official Development Assistance 
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 
Public Financial Management 
Poverty Reduction Strategy Process 
Regional Economic Community 
Regional Indicative Programme 
Southern African Development Community 
Small Arms and Light Weapons 
Sustainable Land Management 
Small and Medium-sized Enterprises 
Sexual Reproductive Health 
Sub-Saharan Africa Transport Programme 
Security Sector Reform 
Sector-Wide Enterprise, Employment and Equity Programme 
Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement 
Tokyo International Conference on African Development 
Trade-Related Intellectual Property 
United Nations 
United Nations Climate Change Convention 
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification 
Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS 
World Summit on the Information Society 
World Summit on Sustainable Development 
World Trade Organization 
Youth Employment Network 

i  

ii   

Communications  from  the  Commission  ‘Speeding  up  progress  towards  the  MDGs.  The  EU’s 
contribution’  (COM(2005)  132);  ‘Accelerating  progress  towards  attaining  the  MDGs  –  financing  for 
development  and  aid  effectiveness’  (COM(2005)  133);  and  ‘Policy  coherence  for  development. 
Accelerating progress towards attaining the MDGs’ (COM(2005) 134). 

Communication from the Commission ‘Proposal for a Joint Declaration by the Council, the European 
Parliament  and  the  Commission  on  the  European  Union  Development  Policy.  The  European 
Consensus’ (COM(2005) 311). Available on: 
http://europa.eu.int/comm/development/body/tmp_docs/european_consensus_311_final_13_07_2005_e
n.pdf#zoom=100 

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iii  
rd session, June 2005 

See ILO, Youth pathways to decent work, report submitted to the International Labour Conference,93 

iv  

v  

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ix  

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xiii  

The only African country that is not party to any contractual agreement with the EU is Libya. 

South Africa is also a signatory to the Cotonou Agreement.  

See COM(2004) 373 final, ENP Strategy Paper. 

In  North  Africa,  Association  Agreements  exist  with Morocco, Algeria,  Tunisia  and  Egypt;  Libya  has 
observer status in the Partnership.  

The ENP will build on mutual commitment to common values, principally within the fields of the rule 
of  law,  good  governance,  respect  for  human  rights,  including  minority  rights,  promotion  of  good 
neighbourly relations, and the principles of market economy and sustainable development. 

Communications  from  the  Commission  ‘Speeding  up  progress  towards  the  MDGs.  The  EU’s 
contribution’  (COM(2005)  132);  ‘Accelerating  progress  towards  attaining  the  MDGs  –  financing  for 
development  and  aid  effectiveness’  (COM(2005)  133);  and  ‘Policy  coherence  for  development. 
Accelerating progress towards attaining the MDGs’ (COM(2005) 134). 

Communication from the Commission ‘Proposal for a Joint Declaration by the Council, the European 
Parliament  and  the  Commission  on  the  European  Union  Development  Policy.  The  European 
Consensus’ (COM-2005-311). Available on:  
http://europa.eu.int/comm/development/body/tmp_docs/european_consensus_311_final_13_07_2005_e
n.pdf#zoom=100 

Notably through intra-ACP financing and the ‘shaving-off’ of a percentage of the B envelopes under the 
9th EDF. 

Including respect for human rights (Cotonou Article 9). 

The  Copenhagen  Consensus  project  sought  to  improve  prioritisation  of  the  numerous  problems  the 
world faces by gathering some of the world's greatest economists at a meeting in Copenhagen in 2004 
to assess some of the world’s biggest challenges. 

xiv  
In line with the EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflict, the EU will also sustain its efforts to 
prevent  the  recruitment  and  use  of  children  in  armed  conflict  and  to  contribute  to  UN  efforts  in  this  field, 
including the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1612 and relevant resolutions preceding it. 

xv  

xvi  

xvii  

The  Kimberley  Process  Certification  Scheme  was  created  to  tackle  the  problem  of  illicit  trade  in 
diamonds,  for  example  through  the  provision  of  targeted  support  for  implementation  by  African 
producer countries. 

Implementation  of  the  strengthened  approach  to  supporting  PFM  reforms  is  being  developed  by  the 
Public  Expenditure  and  Financial  Accountability  (PEFA)  partnership  between  the  European 
Commission, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 
the UK's Department for International Development, the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs. Analysis and support of PFM systems will remain 
one of the main objectives of general budget support operations. At the same time, it will be necessary 
to  prevent  or  at  least  mitigate  any  possible  negative  environmental  and  social  impact,  inter  alia  by 
ensuring appropriate follow-up to Commission-led Sustainability Impact Assessment of the EPAs. 

The main thrust of the agreements will be to assist Africa in attaining a better economic governance and 
business environment in order to lower the cost of doing business, encourage investment, make industry 
more competitive and exports cheaper and more effective. 

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xix  

The YEN is an initiative of the ILO, the World Bank and the UN. A number of African countries (Mali, 
Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda and Senegal) have already volunteered to prepare national action plans on 
youth  employment.  Social  partners  are  closely  involved  in  this.  The  June  2005  International  Labour 
Conference decided that the YEN should be strengthened and expanded.  

Council conclusions of 21 July 2003 on core labour standards and of 3 March 2005. 

Including  for  schools  and  universities,  following  the  model  successfully  used  in  north  Africa, 
EUMEDconnect.  The  EUMEDconnect  project  (www.eumedconnect.net)  links  the  North  African 
National Research and Education Networks amongst themselves and to the European backbone network 
GÉANT (www.geant2.net). 

xx  

For each individual sector, this means: 

Transport:  Reduce  the  cost  and  improve  the  quality  of  infrastructure  and  services  by  promoting 
optimum  use  of  existing  multi-modal  transport  systems  and  adequate  maintenance  of  the  existing 
infrastructure supporting trans-African and regional networks. 

Water:  Sustain  the  use  of  available  and  finite  water  resources  in  meeting  the  populations’  water  and 
sanitation  needs  and  improve  national  and  local  management  of  river  basin  catchments  that  has  an 
impact at transboundary levels. 

Energy:  Facilitate  essential  investments  in  generation  and  transmission  of  energy  that  develop  cross-
border connections and grid extensions, and regional energy agreements that improve affordability and 
access to energy services. 

ICT:  Develop  connections  with  the  continental  and  regional  networks  and  opening  of  the 
telecommunications sector to competition for efficient and low-cost provision of ICT services. 

xxi  

Sustainability is, however, secured almost exclusively at country level. This calls for the EC to: 

Widen  application  of  its  well-developed  sectoral  approach  in  the  transport  and  water  sectors  for 
improving sectoral governance and economic and financial and institutional sustainability. During the 
past six to eight years, the sectoral approach has led to better sectoral governance involving the private 
sector  and  civil  society  as  well  as  improved  road  services  and  access  to  water.  Roads  Boards  with 
stakeholder participation govern Road Funds in over 20 SSA countries and nine semi-autonomous Road 
Authorities/Agencies  exist.  Similarly  in  the  water  sector.  Such  national  achievements  in  these  sectors 
are critical for fostering sustainability at regional and continental levels. 

Develop  more  Sector  Programmes  and,  in  countries  where  conditions  are  appropriate  (e.g.  Ethiopia, 
Benin,  Mauritius,  Zambia,  etc.),  use  the  sector  budget  support  method,  which  facilitates  efficient 
delivery of infrastructure and services and fosters sustainability in support of regional networks. 

Build on the interventions of the EU Water and Energy Initiatives and associated EC facilities that are 
increasing  linkages  between  national  and  regional  strategies,  which  sustain  coherence  between  cross-
border connections and rural distribution of energy services as well as integrate water management at 
national and transboundary levels.   

Including EGNOS and GALILEO in satellite navigation and SESAME in air traffic management. 

Council Decision of 5 June 2003 (so-called “Horizontal” mandate) authorising the Commission to reach 
agreements with third countries on behalf of the European Community, on the replacement of certain 
provisions in existing bilateral agreements.  

UN September 2005 Summit Conclusions 

Erasmus Mundus Scholarships have already allowed over one hundred African post-graduate students 
to obtain post-graduate academic qualifications in Europe. 

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xxviii  

xxix  

xxx  

xxxi  

xxxii  

xxxiii  

xxxiv  

xxxv  

xxxvi  

Modalities  of  the  implementation  of  such  scheme  should  be  further  discussed  and  specified  with 
Member States. 

Council  conclusions  of  24  May  2005  on  “A  European  programme  for  action  to  confront  HIV/AIDS, 
malaria and tuberculosis through external action”. 

Commission communication of 24 April 2005 (COM (2005) 179 final). 

Selected  areas  of  action  include  affordable  pharmaceutical  products,  regulatory  capacity,  human 
resources in the health sector, and research and development of new tools and interventions.  

Council  conclusions  on  the  social  dimension  of  globalisation  include  support  for  the  promotion  of 
decent work for all (3 March 2003).  

Currently,  an  “European  Voluntary  Service”  exist  within  the  framework  of  the  Youth  programme 
(Decision n°°1031/2000/Ce of the EP and Council of 13 April 2000). 

Strengthening  the  links  between  migration  and  development  offers  significant  untapped  potential  for 
furthering  development  goals,  as  was  explored  and  elaborated  in  the  Commission  communication 
‘Migration and Development: Some concrete orientations’.  

The  new  generation  of  EC  fishery  agreements  (Fishery  Partnership  Agreements  –  FPAs),  while 
providing  regulated  access  rights  to  EC  fishing  vessels,  pursues  the  conservation  and  sustainable 
exploitation of local fish resources and provides support to the development of the local fishery sector. 

revised  ACP-EC  Partnership  Agreement  and 

the  attached 

the 
Articles  28  and  29  of 
Council/Commission Declaration. 

GAERC, 11/2004. 

High-Level Forum 2005. 

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