Veena Annadana
New Member
Thursday, 02 June 2011 13:31
Brussels, 1 June 2011
Joint Declaration - The 5th College-to-College meeting of the European Commission and the African Union Commission
Africa and the European Union are bound together by history, geography and shared values, such as the respect for human rights, justice, freedom, the rule of law, gender equality and democracy. Africa and the European Union are committed to bolstering democracy and working together on common and global challenges to pursue their mutual interests, especially in areas such as peace and security, democratic governance, regional and continental integration, food security, climate change as well as governance, transparency and regulation of the global economy.
The 2011 meeting between the EU and AU Commissions has been crucial to develop shared policy agendas. During two days, EU and AU Commissioners, as well as Chief Executives of African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) discussed concrete ways to enhance cooperation both on short-term challenges and on the long-term structural changes such as regional integration and sustainable, inclusive and green growth and the equitable transformation of the world economy.
Building on the soundly established relationship and the successful political, policy, technical and administrative cooperation the EC and AUC have cultivated, this 5th meeting once more demonstrated the maturity of our partnership. It reinforced our institutional and operational links, and enabled us to identify synergies and to further align our policies and initiatives so as to better address challenges and seize new opportunities in a rapidly changing environment.
Once again, the presence of the African Regional Economic Communities and NPCA has broadened the scope of the dialogue, contributed to the success of the meeting and was warmly welcomed.
In this spirit of the Strategic Partnership, the European and African Union Commissions have in particular agreed to the following:
A. PEACE AND SECURITY, DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
1. We will pursue and deepen our cooperation in support of peace, security and democratic governance in Africa to further build on our intense and successful political dialogue in recent months. In this regard, we will promote national reconciliation and economic recovery in Ivory Coast, and work jointly to foster good-neighbourly relations between North and South Sudan following the latter’s expected independence in July 2011.
2. To address challenges to democratic governance, human and people’s rights as well as peace and security, we will pursue the consolidation of the African Governance Architecture and the full operationalisation of the African Peace and Security Architecture. Furthermore, we will closely collaborate to address transnational threats to stability, peace and security such as terrorism, drugs trafficking and maritime piracy. We also agree to strengthen our efforts in fighting human trafficking and will take concrete joint initiatives to this end.
3. We will support broad-based national dialogues and support the strengthening of civil society organisations which can hold authorities accountable, in line with the people centred nature of our strategic partnership. We will continue to promote dialogue between young people and support activities to strengthen their capacity to actively participate in democratic processes and societal progress.
B. MIGRATION, MOBILITY AND EMPLOYMENT
4. We acknowledge the strong link between migration and development and therefore reiterate our commitment to further consolidate and strengthen our dialogue and cooperation. The EU stands ready to continue supporting African States in managing the flows of migrants and refugees, as well as providing adequate humanitarian assistance, especially in relation to Cote d'Ivoire and Libya. We also recognise that in order to reap the benefits of migration and mobility, a comprehensive and efficient policy is needed to address legal migration, the linkage between migration and development as well as concerns related to irregular migration.
5. With the growing young population in Africa, we acknowledge the importance of promoting employment and decent work for all as means of achieving an inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development. In this regard, we welcome the forthcoming AU Summit on Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development in Africa. In view of the International Labour Conference of June this year, we will pursue our dialogue on social protection.
C. TRADE, INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION
6. We will continue to pursue regional integration and promote cooperation in the areas of trade, investment and infrastructure development. We re-affirm our strong commitment to regional and continental integration and agree to follow-up with concrete actions under the Joint Action Plan, building on the experience of the EU Internal market. The EU will, in particular, support Africa’s integration initiatives, including the Minimum Integration Programe (MIP).
7. In the field of trade, we advocate for an increased pace of the negotiations in view of concluding Economic Partnership Agreements that support sustainable economic development and regional integration in Africa and strengthen Africa-EU ties. We will further improve bilateral fisheries agreements between the EU and African countries to ensure the sustainable and mutually beneficial exploitation of fish stocks, while effectively supporting the development of the fisheries sector in African coastal states. We will also initiate consultations with a view to developing regional perspectives on this matter and support capacity building efforts in this domain. We are mindful of the need to integrate small-scale fisheries into the value chain, and to pursue further processing.
8. We will also make joint efforts to promote cooperation on customs matters between the EU and Africa to facilitate trade, protect the security and safety of our citizens, and defend our financial interests.
9. In the area of investment, we will enhance collaboration in improving the business climate and facilitate engagement with the private sector through platforms such as the regular EU-Africa Business Forum.
10. With regard to infrastructure development, we commit to enhancing progress in the implementation of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), as well as the initiative for the provision of satellite navigation services (based on EGNOS) in Africa, including the preparation of the financing dossier and the definition of the governance structure of a future programme in this regard.
D. ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE
11. We recognize the need to keep development in Africa as one of the priorities of the G20 agenda and agree to coordinate efforts on issues such the reform of the global governance system.
12. Moreover, we acknowledge the importance of good governance in the tax area and support initiatives that will lead to more transparency of payments, including payments to governments by the extractive industry. We stand firm in the fight against money laundering, terrorism financing and tax fraud. We are ready to strengthen our joint efforts in the fight against fake medicines and counterfeited goods to protect the health and safety of our citizens.
13. We agree to strengthen our cooperation on raw materials under the Joint Africa-EU Strategy Action Plan 2011-2013 around good governance, infrastructure and geological skills and knowledge base. We take note of the recent Communication on Raw materials by the EU Commission and look forward to the African Union Action Plan on the implementation of the Africa Mining Vision. We also agree on the importance of raising the issue of Raw materials at the G20. In this context, we also discussed the problem of excessive price volatility in commodity markets and agreed on the need for increased integrity and transparency of commodity derivatives markets.
E. MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGs)
14. We remain firmly committed to achieving the MDGs as a matter of priority and agree on the need for urgent and decisive action to accelerate progress. In this regard, particular emphasis will be placed on the promotion of inclusive and sustainable growth as an essential driver of development as well as taking steps to meet the commitments made at the September 2010 High Level Event on MDGs. Looking beyond 2015, we will work together, as well as with other development actors, to define and implement a continued and ambitious international development agenda which eliminates poverty within the shortest possible timeframe.
To be continued
Source: Press Release-EU and AU Joint Declaration-June 1, 2011
Brussels, 1 June 2011
Joint Declaration - The 5th College-to-College meeting of the European Commission and the African Union Commission
Africa and the European Union are bound together by history, geography and shared values, such as the respect for human rights, justice, freedom, the rule of law, gender equality and democracy. Africa and the European Union are committed to bolstering democracy and working together on common and global challenges to pursue their mutual interests, especially in areas such as peace and security, democratic governance, regional and continental integration, food security, climate change as well as governance, transparency and regulation of the global economy.
The 2011 meeting between the EU and AU Commissions has been crucial to develop shared policy agendas. During two days, EU and AU Commissioners, as well as Chief Executives of African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) discussed concrete ways to enhance cooperation both on short-term challenges and on the long-term structural changes such as regional integration and sustainable, inclusive and green growth and the equitable transformation of the world economy.
Building on the soundly established relationship and the successful political, policy, technical and administrative cooperation the EC and AUC have cultivated, this 5th meeting once more demonstrated the maturity of our partnership. It reinforced our institutional and operational links, and enabled us to identify synergies and to further align our policies and initiatives so as to better address challenges and seize new opportunities in a rapidly changing environment.
Once again, the presence of the African Regional Economic Communities and NPCA has broadened the scope of the dialogue, contributed to the success of the meeting and was warmly welcomed.
In this spirit of the Strategic Partnership, the European and African Union Commissions have in particular agreed to the following:
A. PEACE AND SECURITY, DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS
1. We will pursue and deepen our cooperation in support of peace, security and democratic governance in Africa to further build on our intense and successful political dialogue in recent months. In this regard, we will promote national reconciliation and economic recovery in Ivory Coast, and work jointly to foster good-neighbourly relations between North and South Sudan following the latter’s expected independence in July 2011.
2. To address challenges to democratic governance, human and people’s rights as well as peace and security, we will pursue the consolidation of the African Governance Architecture and the full operationalisation of the African Peace and Security Architecture. Furthermore, we will closely collaborate to address transnational threats to stability, peace and security such as terrorism, drugs trafficking and maritime piracy. We also agree to strengthen our efforts in fighting human trafficking and will take concrete joint initiatives to this end.
3. We will support broad-based national dialogues and support the strengthening of civil society organisations which can hold authorities accountable, in line with the people centred nature of our strategic partnership. We will continue to promote dialogue between young people and support activities to strengthen their capacity to actively participate in democratic processes and societal progress.
B. MIGRATION, MOBILITY AND EMPLOYMENT
4. We acknowledge the strong link between migration and development and therefore reiterate our commitment to further consolidate and strengthen our dialogue and cooperation. The EU stands ready to continue supporting African States in managing the flows of migrants and refugees, as well as providing adequate humanitarian assistance, especially in relation to Cote d'Ivoire and Libya. We also recognise that in order to reap the benefits of migration and mobility, a comprehensive and efficient policy is needed to address legal migration, the linkage between migration and development as well as concerns related to irregular migration.
5. With the growing young population in Africa, we acknowledge the importance of promoting employment and decent work for all as means of achieving an inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development. In this regard, we welcome the forthcoming AU Summit on Accelerating Youth Empowerment for Sustainable Development in Africa. In view of the International Labour Conference of June this year, we will pursue our dialogue on social protection.
C. TRADE, INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGIONAL INTEGRATION
6. We will continue to pursue regional integration and promote cooperation in the areas of trade, investment and infrastructure development. We re-affirm our strong commitment to regional and continental integration and agree to follow-up with concrete actions under the Joint Action Plan, building on the experience of the EU Internal market. The EU will, in particular, support Africa’s integration initiatives, including the Minimum Integration Programe (MIP).
7. In the field of trade, we advocate for an increased pace of the negotiations in view of concluding Economic Partnership Agreements that support sustainable economic development and regional integration in Africa and strengthen Africa-EU ties. We will further improve bilateral fisheries agreements between the EU and African countries to ensure the sustainable and mutually beneficial exploitation of fish stocks, while effectively supporting the development of the fisheries sector in African coastal states. We will also initiate consultations with a view to developing regional perspectives on this matter and support capacity building efforts in this domain. We are mindful of the need to integrate small-scale fisheries into the value chain, and to pursue further processing.
8. We will also make joint efforts to promote cooperation on customs matters between the EU and Africa to facilitate trade, protect the security and safety of our citizens, and defend our financial interests.
9. In the area of investment, we will enhance collaboration in improving the business climate and facilitate engagement with the private sector through platforms such as the regular EU-Africa Business Forum.
10. With regard to infrastructure development, we commit to enhancing progress in the implementation of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), as well as the initiative for the provision of satellite navigation services (based on EGNOS) in Africa, including the preparation of the financing dossier and the definition of the governance structure of a future programme in this regard.
D. ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE
11. We recognize the need to keep development in Africa as one of the priorities of the G20 agenda and agree to coordinate efforts on issues such the reform of the global governance system.
12. Moreover, we acknowledge the importance of good governance in the tax area and support initiatives that will lead to more transparency of payments, including payments to governments by the extractive industry. We stand firm in the fight against money laundering, terrorism financing and tax fraud. We are ready to strengthen our joint efforts in the fight against fake medicines and counterfeited goods to protect the health and safety of our citizens.
13. We agree to strengthen our cooperation on raw materials under the Joint Africa-EU Strategy Action Plan 2011-2013 around good governance, infrastructure and geological skills and knowledge base. We take note of the recent Communication on Raw materials by the EU Commission and look forward to the African Union Action Plan on the implementation of the Africa Mining Vision. We also agree on the importance of raising the issue of Raw materials at the G20. In this context, we also discussed the problem of excessive price volatility in commodity markets and agreed on the need for increased integrity and transparency of commodity derivatives markets.
E. MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGs)
14. We remain firmly committed to achieving the MDGs as a matter of priority and agree on the need for urgent and decisive action to accelerate progress. In this regard, particular emphasis will be placed on the promotion of inclusive and sustainable growth as an essential driver of development as well as taking steps to meet the commitments made at the September 2010 High Level Event on MDGs. Looking beyond 2015, we will work together, as well as with other development actors, to define and implement a continued and ambitious international development agenda which eliminates poverty within the shortest possible timeframe.
To be continued
Source: Press Release-EU and AU Joint Declaration-June 1, 2011