Commission staff working document - Accompanying the Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council - From Cairo to Lisbon – The New EU-Africa Strategic Partnership Impact Assessment Report {COM(2007) 357 final}
Date: 2007-06-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Africa, cooperation policy, development aid, development policy, economic agreement, international affairs, international meeting

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 27.6.2007 
SEC(2007) 855 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

Accompanying the 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION 
TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL 

From Cairo to Lisbon – The New EU-Africa Strategic Partnership 

Impact Assessment Report 

{COM(2007) 357 final} 

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COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

Impact Assessment Report1 

PRELIMINARY REMARK  

Following the Impact Assessment Board opinion, the initial version of the impact assessment 
has  been  amended  so  as  to  better  reflect  the  links  between  the  problem  definition,  the 
objectives and options proposed. The benefits to be expected from the implementation of the 
Joint  Strategy  have  been  better  spelt  out  as  well  as  the  articulation  between  the  new 
institutional arrangements and thematic strategies to be developed through the Joint Strategy.  

The analysis of the different policy options considered before presenting the present proposal 
to the Board has also been further elaborated and the list of monitoring mechanism has been 
enriched  so  as  to  ensure  they  would  better  reflect  the  innovative  approach  of  the  Joint 
Strategy.  

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

The  adoption  of  the  EU  Strategy  for  Africa  in  2005  has  allowed  for  a  strengthening  of  EU 
coherence  and  a  better  coordination  of  Commission  and  Member  States  policies  towards 
Africa. The EU Strategy for Africa also prepared the ground for a more ambitious relationship 
between  the  EU  and  Africa,  with  a  new  long-term  perspective  opening  avenues  for  the 
development of a political and strategic partnership between the two continents.  

Hence,  in  agreement  with  our  African  partners,  it  was  decided  during  the  5th  EU-Africa 
Ministerial Troika meeting organised in December 2005 in Bamako, that negotiations would 
be launched in order to establish a Joint EU-Africa Strategy. The issue was further discussed 
during  the  May  and  October  2006  EU-Africa  Ministerial  meetings  held  in  Vienna  and 
Brazzaville. Moreover, the European Council Conclusions of 11 December 2006 endorsed as 
a  priority  for  2007  the  objective  of  "working  towards  a  Joint  EU-Africa  Strategy  to  be 
adopted  at  the  second  EU-Africa  Summit"2.  This  Summit  will  be  a  historic  and  highly 
symbolic event for both continents, reflecting the deepening and broadening of the EU-Africa 
dialogue  in  recent  years,  and  providing  guidance  and  impetus  for  the  future  of  EU-Africa 
relations.  

The aim of the Joint Strategy will be to map the future of EU-Africa relations based on the 
ambition of going beyond the traditional donor-recipient relationship as well as to establish a 
structured  framework  for  the  EU-Africa  dialogue  at  pan-African  level.  As  agreed  with  our 
African  partners,  the  Joint  Strategy  should  be  a  short  and  political  document  setting  out  a 
vision of EU-African relations in the decade ahead, and building on a dialogue that should be 
more  flexible,  deeper,  more  frequent  and  deepening  new  areas  of  common  interest.  It  was 
agreed  to  establish  the  new  partnership  as  a  Euro-Africa  consensus  of  values,  common 

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2 

On the basis of SEC(2005) 791 of 15.6.2005 (Impact Assessment Guidelines) and COM(2002) 276 of 
5.6.2002 (Communication on Impact Assessment). 
Council of the European Union, the EU and Africa: Towards a Strategic Partnership-The Way Forward 
and Key Achievements in 2006, 11 December 2006. 16630/06. 

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interest and strategic objectives. In line with the priority clusters for the EU-Africa dialogue 
identified in the aftermath of the 2000 EU-Africa Cairo Summit, it was decided that the Joint 
Strategy  should  be  centered  around  four  areas:  (1)  peace  and  security;  (2)  governance  and 
human rights; (3) trade and regional integration and (4) key development issues.  

In this Impact Assessment, the Commission identifies three possible options for action: (1) a 
"no policy change" scenario, (2) the elaboration of sectoral strategic partnerships as a mean to 
answer  specific  challenges  common  to  both  the  EU  and  Africa;  (3)  the  development  of  an 
overarching  strategy  to  be  jointly  developed,  jointly  agreed  and  jointly  implemented.  This 
strategy  would  capitalise  on  the  lessons  of  the  past  and  provide  a  solid,  adapted  long  term 
cooperation  framework  for  the  EU  and  Africa.  For  reasons  of  effectiveneness,  coherence, 
consistency and proactiveness towards its partner's needs, the Commission favours the third 
option, in the form of an overarching and comprehensive Joint EU-Africa Strategy. 

Given the highly specific and political nature of this action, it is difficult to quantify possible 
impact on both continents of the envisaged Joint EU-Africa Strategy. It is however believed 
that  the  actions  taken  in  the  framework  of  the  Joint  Strategy  (outlined  in  the  forthcoming 
Communication and summarised in this impact assessment report) will enable the opening of 
a  long  awaited  new  phase  in  the  EU-Africa  relationship.  Moreover,  it  should  lead  to  an 
enhanced political dialogue at all levels, resulting in concrete and measurable outcomes in all 
areas of the envisaged Joint Strategy. 

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1. 

PROCEDURAL ISSUES AND CONSULTATION OF INTERESTED PARTIES 

Following the evaluation of the first year of implementation of the EU Strategy for Africa and 
the  proposal  for  establishment  of  a  Joint  EU-Africa  Strategy  put  forward  by  the  Bamako, 
Vienna  and  Brazzaville  EU-Africa  Ministerial  Troika  meetings,  the  European  Council 
Conclusions of 11 December 20063 endorsed as a priority for 2007 the objective of working 
towards a Joint EU-Africa Strategy to be adopted at the second EU-Africa Summit in Lisbon 
in the second half of 2007.  

As proposed during the October 2006 Brazaville EU-Africa Ministerial meeting, and building 
upon the ongoing EU-Africa dialogue, it was agreed that, considering the innovative character 
of the process and the number of institutional actors to be involved both on the EU and the 
African  Union  (AU)  side,  negotiations  on  the  development  of  the  Joint  Strategy  should  be 
conducted  through  a  Joint  EU-Africa  Troika  expert  format.  On  the  EU  side,  the  Troika  is 
composed  of  official  representatives  from  the  Commission;  the  German,  Portuguese  and 
Slovenian rotating Presidencies; the Council General Secretariat; through a virtual network – 
essentially relying on Coreu, – of Member States as well as an ad hoc working group which 
has started its work in June 2007. On the AU side, the Troika is composed of AU Commission 
(AUC)  representatives,  AU  Member  States  representatives  as  well  as  the  AU  Presidency 
(which currently is held by Ghana). 

Moreover, due to the innovative character of the initiative and the willingness of both partners 
to ensure the involvement, through a large consultation, of institutional actors which are not 
represented in the Troika as well as the civil society of Africa and Europe, it was decided that 
the Joint Strategy would be elaborated through a two step approach. First an outline would be 
adopted during the 15 May EU-Africa Ministerial troika meeting, second, the drafting of the 
"detailed"  version  of  the  Joint  Strategy  would  be  launched  during  the  summer  2007  with  a 
view to have it adopted by the second EU-Africa Summit to be held in Lisbon in December.  

In  preparing  its  proposal  for  a  Joint  EU-Africa  Strategy,  the  Commission,  as  well  as  its 
African  counterpart,  the  AUC,  have  sought  a  broad  consensus  among  all  stakeholders.  This 
process has involved a broad and regular consultation of both institutional actors and the civil 
society both in Europe and in Africa. 

Regular consultations within Directorate General Development and relations with the African, 
Caribbean  and  Pacific  States,  regular  consultations  and  meetings  of  the  Commission 
interservice  Task  Force  on  Africa  as  well  as  broader  informal  consultations  with  relevant 
Directorate  Generals  have  been  conducted.  These  consultations  have  ensured  that  there  is 
broad  Commission  support  for  the  policies  and  strategies  outlined  in  the  forthcoming 
Communication.  

Moreover, in order to ensure an ownership of the Joint Strategy by the people of Africa and 
Europe, a wide consultation of European and African civil society has been organised in order 
to obtain its views on the necessity of developing a Joint Strategy, its potential added value as 
well as the thematic issues to be tackled by the strategic partnership which is expected to be 
put  in  place  by  the  Joint  Strategy.  In  order  to  ensure  the  independence  of  this  public 

3 

Council of the European Union, the EU and Africa: Towards a Strategic Partnership-The Way Forward 
and Key Achievements in 2006, 11 December 2006. 16630/06. 

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consultation,  the  Commission,  in  agreement  with  the  AUC,  has  requested  the  European 
Centre  for  Development  Policy  Management  (ECDPM),  an  independent  Netherlands  based 
foundation, to monitor and facilitate the consultation. The ECDPM has in turn been working 
in close collaboration with the consultation coordinator on the African side.  

In line with the decision highlighted above to conduct the elaboration of the Joint Strategy in 
two successive steps, a two phases civil society consultation has been planned. The first phase 
aimed at collecting civil society inputs so as to draw on them during the drafting of the Joint 
Strategy outline. The second phase, launched after the adoption of the Joint Strategy outline at 
the  15  May  EU-Africa  Ministerial  Troika  meeting,  will  allow  the  Joint  EU-Africa  expert 
group to use comments and inputs provided by civil society on the outline and the objectives 
and  strategies  which  should  be  pursued  by  the  Joint  Strategy  as  suggested  by  civil  society 
while drafting the detailed version of the Joint Strategy.  

This  consultation  will  be  ongoing  until  the Lisbon  Summit  and  the  Commission  very  much 
hopes  to  see  this  process  being  transformed  in  a  structured  and  regular  dialogue  with  civil 
society in the framework of the implementation of the Joint EU-Africa Strategy.  

This consultation is lead in two ways: First, through an interactive internet based consultation 
which  enables  civil  society  to  provide  comments  on  the  Joint  Strategy  initiative.  Regular 
presentations  of  civil  society  inputs  have  been  provided  (and  will  continue  to  be  until  the 
Lisbon  Summit)  to  officials  in  charge  of  the  Joint  Strategy  drafting  and,  following  each  of 
these officials meetings, civil society has in turn been updated on the state of play of the Joint 
Strategy  elaboration  process.  Second,  various  seminars  and  conferences  have/are  being 
organised in Europe and Africa so as to enable civil society to organise debates on the Joint 
Strategy project and its content. The EU expert Troika was represented at a major conference 
held in Bonn in April 2007 and the Commission intends to repeat such participation until the 
organisation of the envisaged second EU-Africa Summit.  

This  consultation  is  in  many  regards  an  innovate  mechanism  which,  in  spite  of  some 
criticisms  on  the  methodology  used,  proves  to  be  extremely  useful  to  institutional  actors 
tasked with the elaboration of the Joint Strategy and the preparation of the Lisbon Summit.  

The  Commission  has  been  extensively  building  upon  the  outputs  of  the  first  phase  of  this 
consultation throughout the drafting of the forthcoming Communication.  

2. 

PROBLEM DEFINITION 

Africa  and  Europe  are  bound  together  by  history,  culture,  geography  as  well  as  by  a 
community  of  values:  the  respect  of  human  rights,  freedom,  equality,  solidarity,  justice,  the 
rule  of  law  and  democracy  as  enshrined  in  the  relevant  international  agreements  and  in  the 
constitutive  texts  of  their  respective  Unions.  They  are  two  long  term  partners  which  are 
characterised,  especially 
increasingly  globalised  environment,  by  multiple 
interdependencies and common challenges. 

in  an 

In this new context, the EU Strategy for Africa is a key instrument which, since its adoption 
and  first  year  of  implementation,  has  helped  the  EU  becoming  a  better  and  more  reliable 
partner  for  Africa.  It  has  enabled  a  strengthening  of  EU  policy  coherence,  a  better 
coordination of Commission and Member States initiatives and given a strategic dimension as 
well  as  a  higher  level  of  ambition  to  the  EU-Africa  relationship.  Key  deliverables  of  the 

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Strategy  have  been  implemented,  such  as  the  EU-Africa  Infrastructure  Partnership,  the 
Governance  Initiative  and  a  predictable  funding  for  the  Peace  Facility  for  the  2008-2013 
period.  Hence  the  EU  Strategy  for  Africa  has  set  the  necessary  ground  for  the  EU  to 
implement  its  aid  effectiveness  objective  towards  Africa  and  maximising  its  capacity  to 
efficiently  help  Africa  achieving  the  internationally  agreed  Millennium  Development  Goals 
(MDGs) while adapting its cooperation to the new institutional and socioeconomic realities of 
the continent. By doing so, it has developed the necessary framework for the development of 
an  overarching  political  partnership  between  the  two  continents,  a  new  intercontinental 
alliance based on a Euro-African consensus of values, mutual interest and common strategic 
objectives. 

With a growth rate of about 4.3% in 2005 Africa is presenting good signs of economic and 
social performances. Nevertheless however encouraging this figure is, it still stands far below 
the  7-8%  of  annual  growth  which  should  be  reached  by  all  African  countries  in  order  to 
reduce poverty by 50% and meet the MDGs by 2015. Moreover, Africa still does not account 
for  more  than  2%  in  manufactured  goods  international  trade  flows  and  40%  of  all  Africans 
still  live  on  less  than  a  $1  a  day.  Increasing  the  level  of  private  investment  is  of  utmost 
importance  in  order  to  favour  a  higher  and  sustainable  level  of  growth,  yet  only  20%  of 
investments made in Africa are originating from foreign investors. Climate change is a major 
challenge for Africa, with 60% of its population depending upon agriculture. Climate change 
does  not  only  lead  to  a  massive  desertification  which  impacts  upon  46%  of  the  continent 
population but it will also lead to important internal population flows. With a rapidly growing 
population  and  more  than  50%  of  its  population  living  in  urban  centres,  Africa  also  has  to 
develop  adapted  socio-economic  infrastructures  suiting  to  this  new  reality.  Health  is  also  a 
major challenge for the continent, Africa being the only part of the developing world where 
life expectancy has been failing over the last 30 years. Only six out of ten African children go 
to primary school, one African out of five lives in a country affected by war or violent conflict 
and  since  the  beginning  of  the  century,  HIV/AIDS,  Malaria  and  Tuberculosis  have  been 
accounting  for  30%  of  all  disease  related  death  in  Africa.  Sub-Saharan  Africa  is  the  most 
severely affected region by HIV/AIDS, 25.4 million people living with HIV (60% of all world 
cases), 57% of these being women.  

It  is  today  widely  acknowledged  that  most  of  Africa's  development  challenges  require  a 
response  of  political  nature.  The  EU  can  therefore  no  longer  envisage  nor  limit  its 
development  cooperation  to  a  form  of  institutional  charity  deprived  of  a  key  political 
dimension. The EU can no longer restrict its relations with Africa to development cooperation 
and must build upon the qualitative improvements allowed for by the EU Strategy for Africa 
in  order  to  strengthened  and  reinvent  its  partnership  with Africa  in  order  to  better  meet  EU 
and African interests and needs. 

Moreover, a pattern that consists in treating Africa as an isolated continent would not reflect 
the  reality  world  of  a  globalised.  The  EU  and  Africa  are  interdependent  partners,  faced  by 
common  global  challenges  and  must  therefore  work  together  in  defining  mutual  answers  to 
these  common  challenges.  Emerging  challenges,  such  as  climate  change,  energy  security, 
migration, terrorism among others, require a new and adapted type of partnership between the 
two continents.  

This reinvented partnership between the two continent must be rooted in a in the principle of 
equality, allow  for  the  emergence of a structured and regular  political dialogue between the 
two partners and be based upon the ambition of going beyond the traditional donor-recipient 
relationship. 

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3. 

OBJECTIVES 

In light of the challenges outlined in the previous section, the overall objective of the EC is to 
elaborate, through the envisaged Joint EU-Africa Strategy, a strategic partnership which will 
enable the EU and Africa to break the ground for a long term and modern alliance between 
two  continents  who  wish  to  work  together  in  a  global  and  multilateral  environment.  This 
Strategic Partnership will bring back the EU-Africa dialogue to the highest political level and 
enable,  a  reconstruction  of  the  EU-Africa  relation  along,  among  others,  the  following  key 
lines:  

•  To build a partnership on the basis of mutual and complementary interests and benefits.  

•  To  strengthen  and  support  the  primary  responsibility  of  African  governments  and 
mandated  international  organisations  for  peace  and  security,  governance,  the  respect  of 
human rights, and economic and social development.  

•  To fully recognise the African Union as a natural partner for the EU, taking into account 

the role of the sub-regional organisations as the building blocks of the AU.  

•  To  promote  a  ´whole  of  Africa´  approach,  and  to  overcome  constraints  of,  and  work 
towards  greater  coherence  and  compatibility  of  existing  institutional  frameworks  of 
cooperation  (Cotonou  Agreement;  European  Neighbourhood  and  Partnership  Instrument; 
Trade,  Development  and  Cooperation  Agreement  with  South  Africa)  so  as  to  properly 
support the objectives of the new EU-Africa partnership. 

•  To further enhance policy coherence for development, on both sides. 

•  To ensure implementation of political commitments and to guarantee effective delivery of 

promises made, by both sides.  

To elevate dialogue in certain areas of cooperation from the technical to the political level, 
notably through the strengthening of the interinstitutional cooperation and the organisation of 
regular Summits.  

3.1. 

Specific objectives  

Based on a diagnosis jointly elaborated with our African partners, it has been agreed that the 
Joint EU-Africa Strategy should therefore pursue four main objectives in order to enable both 
partners to tackle the challenges outlined in section 2:  

(1) 

To  reinforce  and  elevate  the  EU-Africa  political  partnership  to  address  issues  of 
common concern. This includes issues of strengthening institutional ties and addresses 
common challenges such as peace and security, migration and a clean environment by 
developing new concrete policy initiatives in each of these fields. The Joint Strategy 
will treat Africa as one and upgrade the EU-Africa political dialogue to enable a strong 
and  sustainable  continent-to-continent  partnership,  with  the  AU  and  the  EU  at  the 
centre.  

(2) 

To  continue  to  promote  peace,  security,  sustainable  development,  human  rights  and 
regional  and  continental  integration  in  Africa,  and  to  ensure  that  all  the  Millennium 
Development Goals (MDGs) are met in all African countries by the year of 2015.  

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(3) 

(4) 

To  jointly  promote  and  sustain  a  system  of  effective  multilateralism  and  strong  and 
legitimate multilateral institutions, and the reform of the United Nations (UN) system, 
and to address global challenges and common concern such as human rights, trade, 
HIV/AIDS,  malaria,  tuberculosis,  climate  change,  energy  security  and  sustainability, 
ICT-issues,  science  and  technology,  terrorism  and  the  proliferation  of  weapons  of 
mass destruction (WMDs). 

To  facilitate  and  promote  a  broad-based  and  wide-ranging  people-centred 
partnership,  that  empowers  non-state  actors  to  play  an  active  role  in  development, 
conflict  prevention  and  post-conflict  reconstruction  processes.  To  promote  holistic 
approaches  to  development  processes,  including  democracy  building,  involving  all 
stakeholders,  and  make  this  Joint  Strategy  a  permanent  platform  for  information, 
participation  and  mobilisation  of  a  broad  spectrum  of  civil  society  actors.  Ongoing 
dialogue with civil society, the private sector and local stakeholders on issues covered 
by this Joint Strategy will be a key component to ensure its implementation.  

These four global objectives will be broken down into thematic strategies, covering peace and 
security,  governance  and  human  rights,  trade  and  regional  integration  as  well  as  key 
development issues. It is expected that a series of key actions to be implemented in each of 
these  policy  fields  could  be  listed  in  an  action  plan  which  could  be  annexed  to  the  Joint 
Strategy  at  its  adoption  at  the  December  2007  second  EU-Africa  Summit.  It  is  also  the 
Commission's  intention  to  propose  that this Summit be focused on: (1)  an evaluation of  the 
implementation  of  the  key  deliverables  of  the  EU  Strategy  for  Africa  and  (2)  the  new 
dimensions  of  the  proposed  Joint  Strategy,  with  a  particular  attention  to  be  paid  to  energy 
security, climate change and migration. 

4. 

POLICY OPTIONS 

When  considering  the  best  option  for  meeting  the  above  mentioned  objectives  and  tackling 
the  need  to  set  up  a  long-term  strategic  partnership  enabling  an  articulated  and  overarching 
political dialogue to emerge between the two continents, the Commission has examined three 
basic policy lines.  

In  the  first  option,  the  baseline  scenario,  the  EU  would  continue  implementing  the  EU 
Strategy for Africa, agreed upon in December 2005 but would not, in spite of the December 
2006  Council  conclusions,  (1)  deliver  on  its  engagement  to  develop  and  agree  upon  a  Joint 
EU-Africa Strategy encompassing all key areas of the EU-Africa dialogue during the Second 
EU-Africa Summit to be held in Lisbon in the second half of 2007 and/or would (2) decide to 
prolong  the  negotiation  on  the  Joint  Strategy  until  2008.  It  would  further  run  the  risk  of 
undermining  the  impact  of  the  current  EU  Strategy  for  Africa  and  to  be  interpreted  by  our 
African  partners  as  the  will  by  the  EU  to  impose  its  own  vision  and  to  validate  its  2005 
Strategy towards Africa.  

A second option, which would entail the elaboration of sectoral strategic partnerships in all 
areas  of  common  interest  to  the  EU  and  Africa,  would  require  the  negotiation  of  separate 
thematic  partnerships  with  our  African  partners;  running  the  risk  of  facing  a  high  level  of 
incoherence  among  them  and  ignoring  the  deep  interconnections  and  interdependencies 
existing among the various areas identified with our African partners as key objectives to be 
pursued  by  the  Joint  Strategy  and  which  are  essential  to  the  sustainable  development  of 

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Africa. Moreover, it would also fail to create the necessary political momentum and visibility 
for these initiatives.  

A  third  option,  finally,  aims  at  a  balanced  yet  ambitious  approach,  consisting  in  the 
development  of  a  long-term,  holistic  and  innovative  political  and  strategic  partnership 
between the EU and Africa, enabling the two partners to capitalise on the political momentum 
created by the adoption of the EU Strategy for Africa. This strategic framework, embodied by 
the Joint Strategy, will allow the partners to jointly agree and present the political vision and 
roadmap of their future cooperation in existing and new areas which they identify as being of 
common  interest.  This  approach  is  fully  consistent  with  the  EU  Strategy  for  Africa  and  the 
EU development policy statement,  "the  European Consensus on development"4. It is further 
consistent  with  the  political  commitment  by  the  European  council  to  hold  the  second  EU-
Africa Summit in Lisbon before the end of 2007.  

5. 

ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS 

Given  its  strategic  and  political  nature,  it  is  expected  that  the  proposed  Joint  EU-Africa 
Strategy and the strategic partnership it will put in place will have a considerable impact on 
the work of all EU actors – the 27 Member States as well as the Council and the Commission. 
In  Africa,  this  Joint  Strategy  will  similarly  have  an  impact  on  all  countries,  organisations, 
actors, and sectors involved in relationships with EU actors. While the impact on individuals 
sectors  and  actors  is  rather  difficult  to  specify  and  quantify,  it  is  worth  stressing  that  a  full 
ownership of the proposed Joint EU-Africa Strategy by the people of Africa and Europe will 
be the cornerstone to its effective implementation. 

5.1. 

Political Impact 

The  Joint  Strategy  will  enable  an  enhancement  of  the  partnership  and  political  dialogue 
between  the  EU  and  Africa  to  effectively  respond  to  the  common  challenges  of  the  two 
continents. It will give to this dialogue the necessary structure and political impetus so as to 
make  it  more  efficient  and  will  promote,  in  all  areas  covered  by  the  partnership  the 
formulation and pursuit of common positions on key international issues by the two partners.  

In  this  context  and  with  regard  for  example  to  the  specific  field  of  governance,  the  new 
strategic  partnership  should  facilitate  an  open,  intensive  and  comprehensive  dialogue  on  all 
governance aspects, including human rights, democratic principles, the rule of law, the fight 
against corruption or institutional development. Moreover, the Joint Strategy will promote the 
development  of  a  regular  and  more  structured  dialogue  between  the  African  Union  (AU) 
institutions and their European counterparts, along the model of the dialogue of the AU and 
EU  Commissions.  This  dialogue  should  both  take  place  and  technical  and  political  level  in 
order to favour an exchange of experiences and best practices between the institutions of the 
two  continents  and  favour  the  development  of  common  positions  on  issues  of  common 
concern and interest. 

Finally, the Joint Strategy will also be a major occasion for the two continents to formalise the 
principle of holding biannual EU-Africa Summits as a major high-level political event in their 
dialogue. 

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5.2. 

Economic impact 

It is expected that the Joint Strategy will bring significant value to the partnership between the 
two continents in the area of regional integration and trade. Regional integration is considered 
by both sides as an essential means to create an economic environment that will help Africa to 
achieve  the  MDGs  and  face  the  challenges  of  globalisation.  It  is  a  dimension  which  has  an 
important potential for the development of Africa, for the dialogue between the EU and Africa 
as well as for stimulating Africa's integration into the world economy. 

Hence, in the economic field, the Joint Strategy aims at (1) using the EU-Africa partnership to 
impact  upon  global  challenges  faced  by  both  continents;  (2)  present  solutions  and 
mechanisms  to  address  the  challenges  faced  by  Africa  in  terms  of  regional  integration  and 
trade; (3) promote the exchange of experiences and best practices. 

In the economic sector, specific strategies will therefore be developed so as to contribute to: 

•  The  promotion  of  the  Private  sector  development,  supported  by  foreign  investments,  to 

strengthen the supply side of the African economy; 

•  The development and strengthening of Physical infrastructure networks, which are needed 

for the movement of persons and goods, and of information; 

•  The  development  of  Trade  integration,  in  order  to  increase  both  South-South  and  North-

South trade flows. 

5.3. 

Social Impact  

The  Joint  Strategy  will  enable  a  full  recognition  and  support  of  African  commitments  and 
leadership  to  create  conducive  conditions  for  sustainable  social  and  economic  development 
and  the  effective  implementation  of  partner-supported  development  programmes.  It  will 
enable the two partners to address all priority issues referred to as "key development issues" 
the  MDGs,  Infrastructure,  Climate  Change,  Migration  and  Development, 
such  as 
Employment,  Science  and  Technology  in  a  holistic  manner,  ultimately  enabling  for  an 
integration  of  their  agenda  and  facilitating  the  formulation  of  common  responses  to  global 
challenges.  

The joint strategy will therefore be instrumental in addressing and strengthening our common 
approach to the fundamentally important development issues of:  

•  The Millennium Development Goals,  

•  Climate change,  

•  Migration and employment.  

Moreover, the two partners intend to use this strategic partnership to promote more accurate 
image of each other and to encourage mutual understanding between the peoples and culture 
of  the  two  continents.  In  this  respect,  both  the  EU  and  Africa  will  aim  at  maximising  the 
ownership by the people of Africa and Europe of this partnership in order to favour the active 
contribution of civil society to its implementation. 

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5.4. 

Environmental Impact  

In this respect, the Joint Strategy will enable partners to promote a joint EU-Africa work in 
the  global  arena  and  international  for  to  effectively  respond  to  climate  change  and  other 
global  environmental  challenges,  such  as  desertification,  biodiversity  and  issues  related  to 
toxic waste. The partnership will also enable a strengthening of their cooperation and support 
capacity  building  in  the  management  of  natural  resources.  Specific  strategies  shall  be 
developed in these fields through the implementation of the Joint Strategy and joint work in 
international fora shall be promoted through the Joint Strategy.  

6. 

COMPARING THE OPTIONS  

In line with the new guidelines for Impact Assessments5, the criteria used to evaluate the three 
options  outlined  in  section  3  of  this  document  (“Policy  Options”),  have  been  effectiveness 
(the  extent  to  which  options  can  be  expected  to  achieve  the  objectives  of  the  proposal), 
efficiency  (the  extent  to  which  objectives  can  be  achieved  for  a  given  level  of  resources/at 
least cost), and consistency (the extent to which options are likely to limit trade-offs across 
the economic, social, and environmental domain). 

ignore 

the  deep 

While  each  of  these  alternative  policy  lines  has  its  advantages  and  disadvantages,  the 
Commission prefers the third option, which goes beyond a no policy change scenario and a 
middle  ground  alternative  which  would 
interconnections  and 
interdependencies  existing  among  the  various  areas  identified  as  objectives  for  the  Joint 
Strategy. Indeed, a no policy change scenario would breach the political commitment taken by 
the  EU.  Moreover  it  would  jeopardise  the  dynamic  created  with  the  adoption  and 
implementation of the EU Strategy for Africa which aims at adapting and reinventing the EU-
Africa  partnership  to  the  new  global  environment  as  well  as  realities  of  the  two  continents. 
Choosing  the  intermediary  option  of  negotiating  separated  thematic  partnerships,  while 
partially allowing to address new issues of common concern would not allow for the elevation 
of  the  EU-Africa  relation  to  the  level  of  ambition  of  a  Strategic  partnership.  Moreover,  it 
would not allow to  remedy  to  the  current patchwork of  EU-Africa policies and  agreements. 
Hence,  the  Commission  believes  that  the  third  option,  in  the  form  of  a  Joint  EU-Africa 
Strategy,  is  the  best  way  to  address  the  challenges  outlined  in  section  two  of  the  present 
impact assessment. The desirability of an action at EU level is explained by two  factors: 1) 
that  the  negotiation  with  our  African  partners  is  lead  at  pan-African  level,  namely  with  the 
African  Union;  2)  that  the  objective  of  setting  up  an  intercontinental  strategic  partnership 
which will provide a strategic framework to all institutional and civil society stakeholders on 
the two continents can only best be achieved through the EU level.  

7. 

MONITORING AND EVALUATION 

In  order  to  ensure  a  proper  monitoring  and  regular  evaluation  of  the  implementation  of  the 
proposed Strategic Partnership, two types of monitoring and evaluation mechanisms could be 
proposed.  

A.  An  action  plan,  detailing  concrete  initiatives  to  be  undertaken  in  the  fields  of  peace  and 
security; regional integration and trade; governance and human rights; and key development 

5 

On the basis of SEC(2005) 791 of 15.6.2005 (Impact Assessment Guidelines). 

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issues  at  could  be  annexed  to  the  Joint  Strategy.  The  implementation  of  these  immediate 
deliverables could be monitored through an improved monitoring mechanism that will build 
upon the existing Joint Implementation Matrix created after the adoption of the EU Strategy 
for Africa. This would enable a coordinated monitoring and evaluation of key deliverables of 
the two documents and avoid unnecessary duplications.  

B.  Parliaments  and  civil  society  will  be  closely  involved  in  the  implementation  of  the  Joint 
Strategy  through  a  permanent  platform  to  be  set  up  in  the  aftermath  of  the  Lisbon  Summit. 
Specific  modalities  will  be  further  detailed  in  the  coming  months  through  the  ongoing 
dialogue  will  all  African  and  European  stakeholders.  This  platform  will  be  particularly 
important in order to evaluate the effect of the implementation of innovative initiatives in the 
fields, i.e. of climate change or energy security and allow for the eventual necessary refining 
of the later.  

C.  Every  two  years,  the  organisation  of  EU-Africa  Summits  could  be  envisaged.  These 
Summits could be the occasion of evaluating the implementation of deliverables listed in the 
action plan as well as update this action plan according to evolving priorities and new needs 
of  the  strategic  partnership.  These  summits  would  also  be  essential  in  maintaining  the  high 
political momentum of the EU-Africa relationship.  

In  addition,  regular  updates  and  monitoring  would  be  ensured  by  the  EU-Africa  ministerial 
troika organised every six months alternatively in Europe and Africa.  

Finally, regular reporting would be ensured in all relevant EU Council working groups as well 
as, on a yearly basis, to the European Council.  

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