Debate: The new comprehensive EU-Africa strategy
Date: TUESDAY, 11 FEBRUARY 2020
Speaker: Jutta Urpilainen
Language: EN

How more appropriate for my first address to this Chamber than discussing our relationship with the African continent? I value your experience, knowledge and views and believe them to be important for a topic such as this one. On our first trip outside Europe, President von der Leyen and I went to Hear Africa. We experienced a continent of youth, brimming with confidence, full of potential and attractive for the global players. We met a partner that deserves a more positive engagement from us. We have already paved the way for change with the Africa—Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs, supported by the External Investment Plan for sustainable investments, and have achieved, in such a short amount of time, tangible progress. Now we can capitalise on those achievements and go further. It is time for a new chapter that brings a step change in our relationship. For that to happen, we need a new, comprehensive strategy, a strategy that supports Africa’s potential political economic governance efforts and moves to bolster peace and resilience, a strategy with Africa that ensures partners’ ownership and commitment, and a strategy that better positions the EU in the new global context, reflecting the aims of this geopolitical Commission and the ambitions of the European Green Deal.  The Abidjan priorities we set back in 2017 remain valid today. Our approach is not to change direction, but to step up a gear for better results. The strategy’s comprehensive character will be ensured by its inbuilt links with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on climate change, the EU Global Strategy, the European Consensus on Development and Agenda 2063 of the African Union.  We will continue to work on economic continental integration, human development, mobility and migration. Thematically, apart from addressing the climate and environmental challenges, we will focus on digitalisation and gender equality, which are major enablers for development. There cannot be development without solid governance, respect for human rights, the rule of law and democracy. Therefore, we will pursue our efforts in these areas, along with the fight for peace and security, and against extremism.  Finally, yet importantly, we would like to work closer with our African partners on the multilateral rule-based system that is being called into question more and more. A key priority through my mandate, I will ensure that the implementation of this strategy supports the power that youth represents. Young people, including young women, must also own this strategy. Work on the new ambitious framework is already ongoing, both at political and technical level. In the meantime, we continue listening and trying to ensure broad ownership of the strategy, both by yourselves and our Member States, as well as by our African partners and civil society, including young people.  We will hold an EU—AU ‘college to college’ meeting on 27 February in Ethiopia and a ministerial meeting in May. Both events will provide key opportunities for dialogue with our African partners. I intend to travel to Africa in February and March to consult as broadly as possible. The proposal for the new strategy will be on our college agenda for adoption in early March. That will mark the beginning of more concrete work with our key stakeholders.  I look forward to our debate and hearing your views on what you see as priority areas for a renewed Africa—EU partnership.