Transcript Public consultation on the Joint EU-Africa Strategy Results of the first phase of the consultation African Union Pre-summit civil society forum Accra, Ghana, 19-21 June.

Public consultation on the Joint EU-Africa
Strategy
Results of the first phase of the
consultation
African Union Pre-summit civil society forum
Accra, Ghana, 19-21 June 2007
Context
• Public consultation jointly launched by AUC and EC on 5
February on the basis of 5 themes
 Aim : to seek the views of European and African civil society
• First phase of the consultation ended on 15 May : adoption
of the outline by the joint EU-Africa Ministerial Troika
• Public consultation:
– Joint Internet consultation : 200 comments, 40 position
papers
– Various events/ seminars on both continents : Accra, Bad
Honnef
• Role of ECDPM: facilitator of the public consultation in
Europe and of the public consultation
• Presentation of the results of the first phase of the
consultation
Process: some scepticism
• Limited timeline: Lisbon summit could be a milestone and
more extended consultation necessary : will it allow a proper
involvement
• Doubts on how comments will be taken on board by decision
makers
• Unequal access to Internet and many relevant debates taking
place in other fora
• Consultation so far is only a start
• Reflection needed on what happens after the Summit
=> Call to move “from consultation to involvement”
Key messages
Wish for real change in EU-Africa relations and for a
new relationship based on:
• a new set of principles (e.g. respect, equality)
• a joint strategy that goes beyond aid to include a wide
range of global issues;
• a people centered and people driven partnership
• future Strategy should be based on critical assessment of existing
policies/partnership
• Need for concrete commitments
Shared vision
• Call for an equal partnership based on the principles
such as respect and mutual accountability.
• Necessity to move away from a fragmented EU-Africa
relationship and to adapt the existing policies and
instruments accordingly
• Increased participation of non-state actors, in policyformulation, implementation and evaluation through a
structured multi-stakeholder dialogue mechanism
• Upgrade the EU-Africa partnership by building alliances
within global fora
Governance, democracy & human rights
• African grown initiatives and instruments should be
supported by the EU : EU governance initiative
• Key role of the local level and civil society in ensuring
governance
• Widespread violations of human rights in Africa:
opportunity for the EU to strengthen its support to African
human rights mechanisms.
• The joint Strategy should provide a framework to discuss
contentious issues such as Zimbabwe
• Mutual accountability is key : ‘governance of aid’
Key development issues
• MDGs: shared basis for the joint strategy.
• EU to deliver on its ODA and aid effectiveness commitments.
• Call for total African debt cancellation
• Equal access to social services by all people to be ensured in
order to achieve the MDGs: vulnerable groups, gender
• Migration : need to address root causes, brain drain, foreign
remittances, role of diaspora, protection of the rights of
migrants and refugees
• Health and education must remain a priority
• Europe’s specific responsibility in climate change should be
recognised
Trade and regional integration
• EU should modify its agricultural policy in a more development
oriented manner
• Strong recommendations on EPAs :
– to integrate safeguard mechanisms into the EPAs,
– to grant the developing countries preferential treatment,
– to extend the timeframe for the EPA negotiations,
• Supply side constraints should be further addressed and publicprivate partnerships enhanced
• Private sector could be more structurally associated to policy
formulation and implementation
• Africa’s own integration process should be supported
Peace and security
• Close link between development and security but influence of
other policies (trade, energy): EU and African engagements
should be ‘conflict sensitive’.
• Peace and security should be based on human security with a
sustained holistic approach
• Conflict prevention should be prioritised
• Supporting African capacity / ownership of conflict prevention
and resolution through APSA is a priority
• Local / civil society participation and ownership : fundamental
for sustainable and effective peace and development efforts
• Control of arms trading and mercenary pursuit
Which civil society concerns are
reflected in the 15 May outline?
•
•
•
3 reports presented to the joint expert meeting
Some correspondence between civil society ideas and experts, i.e. peace
and security
Some consensual ideas integrated :
–
–
–
–
–
Acknowledgment of the role of civil society
Action plan
Right to development, human security
Support to African’s own integration process
Equal access to social services by women and vulnerable groups
=> Which concerns are not reflected yet?
Possible agenda issues for the
second phase of the consultation
• EPAs : Lisbon Summit high jacked by EPAs?
• More pro-development European agricultural policy
• Stronger integration of the role of civil society as a governance
player, EU governance initiative, human rights
• Promotion of conflict sensitive policies by the EU and Africa
• Migration : outline focusing on the Tripoli Declaration
=> Some aspects not included : endorsement of international
convention on migrants rights and protection
Possible agenda issues for the
second phase of the consultation
• Delivery of EU commitments in terms of ODA level and aid
effectiveness : 10th EDF
• African debt cancellation : double standards
• Added value of the future joint Strategy compared to existing
agreements and instruments
• Definition of concrete commitments to beef up the outline
• Civil society “moving from consultation to involvement” : how will the
monitoring mechanisms be conceived in order to involve civil
society?
Timeframe until the Lisbon Summit
Institutional negotiations:
• Regular joint expert meetings
• EU-Africa joint Ministerial in October : more finalised version of the
Strategy
• Lisbon Summit : beginning of December
• Decision making process carried out both in Europe and in Africa : AU
Executive Council, EU Council of Ministers
Civil society events:
• EU-Africa civil society conference organised by the Portuguese NGO
platform : 29-31 October
• EU-Africa Youth Forum organised by the North South Centre in
December
Conclusion
Process opportunities
 In Europe: reflection on how to start a more structural dialogue between EU
civil society and EU experts on this topic
 How to link the various civil society initiatives in Europe and Africa?
 Joint lobbying Strategy
Conclusions
• How to influence the agenda of the Summit?
• Key question: what will the joint Strategy change in EU-Africa
relations?
Thank you for your attention…
Marie-Laure de Bergh
[email protected]
For more information :
www.europafrica.org
www.ecdpm.org