Actions say more than word - the solid partnership between the EU and Africa
Actions say more than word - the solid partnership between the EU and Africa
Every day we are working to make the partnership between Europe and Africa stronger and closer to the people. Our day-to-day engagement testifies that our relationship is made of unparalleled human, cultural, geographical and economic links, not incantations, promises and affirmations. At the 6th European Union (EU) - African Union (AU) Summit in February 2022, over 80 leaders from Africa and Europe met in Brussels to adopt an ambitious agenda and to sustain a partnership of peace, security, solidarity and prosperity based on equality, respect and mutual understanding.
Europe and Africa need each other to build a solid and lasting response to global and common challenges, from climate change to peace and security or economic development that affect us all.
Europe and Africa are stakeholders in a multilateral, rules-based international system. The EU and its Member States were among the first to express full support for the integration of the AU within the G20; the EU supports Africa in its ambitions to become a key global player. Together, the AU and the EU can be pillars in the defence of a rules-based world, where sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right to self-determination are safeguarded.
The EU is deeply committed to the safety and prosperity of its neighbours as a condition for our own security and prosperity, and we strive to be a reliable and predictable partner. In times of rising global food insecurity, the EU stands by its commitment to facilitate the export of grain and other agricultural products from Ukraine. From day one, the EU has exempted food and agricultural inputs (including fertilisers) from its sanctions imposed on the Russian Federation. Complementary to the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the EU has set up the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes through which cereals leave Ukraine by land. The combined economic effects of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and the Solidarity Lanes have resulted in a 23% decrease in the price index for grain on the global market.
Looking beyond the immediate need to mitigate price volatility for food on the global market, the EU will have mobilized by 2024 almost 7 billion euro to improve food security in Africa; more than 3 billion euro have already been disbursed. This includes the EU’s contributions to the IMF’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust. In Southern Africa, the EU has allocated 9 million euro to support the implementation of the SADC Regional Agricultural Policy to improve production, productivity, competitiveness, food and nutrition security, and agro-industrial development.
As agreed at the 6th EU-AU Summit, to strengthen quality infrastructure, nearly 150 billion euro of investments will be mobilized by 2027 in Africa as part of the “Global Gateway Investment” strategy. These investments are already taking place today and the EU is translating commitments made at the Summit into reality. In Southern Africa, the EU is supporting investments to improve digital, transport and energy connectivity, in particular through two strategic corridors between Walvis Bay and Maputo and between Durban and Lubumbashi. Investments in regional infrastructure along those corridors will boost trade and regional value chains.
In Botswana, the EU is working in partnership with the government to develop jointly identified programmes in the areas of sustainable energy and digitalisation. Botswana has a huge potential for renewable energy sources and attracting foreign investment, creating much needed job opportunities for the youth. The EU has mobilised 16 million euro for 2021-2024 for its partnership with Botswana. This will complement current EU efforts amounting to 11 million euro to support the economic diversification of Botswana in the areas of trade, eco-tourism, job creation and investment climate.
This concrete support confirms the European Union as Africa's and SADC’s prime partner at all levels, on trade, investments and development. The EU has been and will remain a long-standing partner of Africa – the recent renewal of the agreement with African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, in existence since 1975, is just one more demonstration of our commitment.
On peace and security, notwithstanding multiple crises across the globe, the EU has sustained its support to the AU and African-led peace support operations. Again, this translates commitments made at the 6th EU-AU Summit into action. For the period 2022–2024, 600 million euro are being allocated to these missions via the European Peace Facility (EPF), complementing support under other development instruments. An example is Mozambique where the EU has mobilised financial support to the Mozambican efforts (EUR 89 million), the SADC efforts (EUR 15 million) and the Rwandese efforts (EUR 20 million) to bring peace. All these security measures are in addition to our humanitarian, development and peacebuilding support to this country.
Africa will continue to remain a key area of operations with EPF support. The total Team Europe’s commitment for Conflict Prevention, Mediation, Peace and Security initiatives at national and regional level is expected to amount to 1.5 billion euro from 2021 until 2027.
While others seek to divide, the EU in its partnership with Africa seeks to deliver and foster cooperation. The EU and its Member States have consistently invested in Africa and facilitated the duty-free access of African exports in the EU. In SADC, the EU has signed an Economic Partnership Agreement which supports the development of sustainable supply chains, sustainable business models, and job opportunities, notably for women and youth in the region.
As a tangible sign of our willingness to engage in a partnership that concretely benefits Africa, 33 of the least developed African countries have benefitted from the most favourable customs regime, removing tariffs and quotas for all imports of goods – except arms and ammunition. As of today, the EU is by far the main trade partner of the African continent, with a total volume of 268 billion euro in 2021 and 90% of African exports entering the EU duty-free. The EU is encouraged by the potential of the AfCFTA and has been supporting it since the beginning, contributing, under a Team Europe approach, with expertise, institutional capacity and exchanges on lessons learned.
The EU has its share of responsibility in global warming and is investing heavily to curb emissions in Europe. It also stands by the countries that are victims of or are suffering from the consequences of global warming and need support in their climate transition. We are supporting the AU’s Great Green Wall initiative for climate adaptation with 700 million euro and are driving forces behind the decision to allocate 100 billion USD in special drawing rights (or equivalent contributions) to the most vulnerable countries, particularly in Africa. The Summit for a new global financial pact held in Paris at the end of June, to which 25 African heads of states participated along with both AU and EU leadership, effectively contributed to reach that target and has paved the way to the next Africa Climate Summit to be held in Kenya in September. Thanks to the Common Framework of the G20 and the Paris Club, an agreement has been reached on the treatment of Zambia's debt, a historic step for this country and the Zambian people.
In all these developments, Europe is delivering. The overall funding for development cooperation by Team Europe went up by almost 30% in 2022 worldwide, with EU assistance to Africa increasing by 11% for the period 2021–2027, when compared to 2014–2020.
While we are working on the organisation of the next Ministerial meeting between the AU and the EU, where we will take stock of our joint achievements to date, we wish to reaffirm our continued determination and commitment to strengthen our partnership in solidarity with Africa, with a view to contributing together to global peace, security and prosperity.
Signed: Ambassadors of the European Union, France and Germany to Botswana and SADC