Development strategy for Africa

The Council held an exchange of views on preparation of an EU strategy for Africa to be endorsed by the European Council at its meeting in December. The President noted consensus on the following issues:

-         The need to increase support for peace and security, including through the long-term replenishment of the EU’s African peace facility.

-         The importance of good governance.

-         The importance of trade and regional integration for growth.

-         The establishment of an EU-Africa infrastructure facility.

-         Strengthened assistance in the fight against AIDS.

-         Increased aid funding to health, services and education through the European Development Fund.

-         The importance of African ownership in the context of the strategy.

-         The importance of implementation and delivery and the need for continuing oversight by the European Council.

The Council prepared a comprehensive strategy, based on shared values, covering all of the African countries, whilst taking account of the country specific needs as, inter alia, defined in national poverty reduction strategies, the promotion of peace and security, sustainable economic growth through the Millennium Development Goals and the Millennium Declaration. In its other Conclusions, the Council noted the reports of the UN Millennium Project and the Commission for Africa and other recent international commitments to Africa including those made at the G8 Gleneagles Summit. In addition, the Council called for a strategy, which enhances African ownership and mutual accountability, working through African institutions and civil society. To support the agreed strategy, the Council will:

-         Broaden and invigorate the EU-AU political dialogue and co-operation in the field of peace and security.

-         Exploit, develop and refine CFSP and ESDP instruments and activities and deploying EU-led civilian, military or joint civilian/military missions in support of UN or AU crisis management objectives

-         Provide and review support for the AU, sub-regional organisations and national governments in strengthening their early warning, mediation, analytical and operational capacity. Support for this objective will include securing long-term funding for the Africa Peace Facility, offering technical and logistical support on a broad training agenda covering both civilian and military aspects, supporting regional dialogue and reconciliation and supporting measures designed to protect people against genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

-         Address the illicit flow of weapons and their financing. The EU will seek to encourage third States to associated themselves with the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports, support border management controls, develop mechanisms to exploit information on illegal trafficking and support the early establishment of an international treaty to establish common standards for the global trade in conventional arms.

-         Address conflict resources, to help ensure that Africa’s timber, water, diamonds, oil and other minerals foster peace and prosperity, not war and suffering and sustain the Kimberly process.

-         Enhance conflict prevention in a bid to stop conflicts from starting.

-         Improve and engage in post conflict reconstruction – so wars do not restart once they have ended through an effective UN Peace Building Commission.

-         Support coherent regional and national strategies for Demobilisation, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR).

-         Encourage the application of UNSCR 1325 on Women, Peace and Security through guaranteeing that gender is taken into account on issues relating to conflict.

-         Addressing the impact of armed conflict on children.

-         Supporting African efforts to fight terrorism through the provision of technical assistance and enhanced information sharing.

-         Address the matters relating to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

-         Reinforce the EU’s support for the promotion and protection of human rights and the need for democracy, good governance and the rule of law.

-         Support and strengthen the African Union, sub-regional organisations and countries.

-         Promote governance through support of African efforts and co-ordination with other donor efforts.

-         Support the building of effective and credible central institutions, including the police and judiciary and national parliaments.

-         Support the rule of law and combat impunity, inter alia, through the International Criminal Court.

-         Encourage the use of the Public Financial Management (PFM).

-         Ensure early ratification of the UN Convention against Corruption and full implementation of relevant OECD agreements, especially concerning the combating of bribery and tackling corruption.

-         Help enhance government in the exploitation of natural resources.

-         Encourage the further development of transparent and participatory democracy.

-         Support national and regional strategies for growth and poverty reduction that enhance macro-economic stability, encourage private investment and promote economic growth for all.

-         Support African initiatives to improve the investment climate and business opportunities that help create wealth.

-         Facilitate a better connected Africa through the development of an EU-Africa Infrastructure Partnership in co-ordination with other donors. The Partnership should encompass existing EU and African initiatives in the fields of water and sanitation, energy and ICT, including addressing the digital divide.

-         Press for an ambitious and balanced outcome to the Doha Development Agenda, which combines progressive trade liberalisation with stronger multi-lateral rules, ensures special differential treatment for LDC and addresses the issue of preference erosion, in ways that maximise development gains and Africa’s integration in to the multilateral trading system and thus contribute to the MDGs.

-         Support the negotiation of Economic Partnership Agreements as development instruments designed to improve access to European markets, help APC countries integrate into world markets and help support the progressive building-up of the EUROMED Free Trade Area.

-         Commit to an ambitious negotiating outcome of the EPAs with a perspective of substantial improvements in access for ACP products to EU markets and support the objectives of asymmetry and flexibility particularly as regards transition periods and safeguard measures. The EU will assist African countries to comply with rules and standards and reduce non-tariff barriers to trade and aim to simplify rules of origin and render them more development friendly.

-         Continue help African LDCs take advantage of the “Everything but Arms” initiative.