New impetus for development in Africa needed

Met dank overgenomen van Europees Parlement (EP) i, gepubliceerd op donderdag 16 november 2017.

Economic, migratory and social problems, coupled with protracted crises, require new responses and better cooperation between the African Union and the EU.

In order to give new impetus to cooperation and the development of African nations, MEPs recommend a new EU-Africa strategy also aimed at strengthening the resilience of African countries, in a resolution adopted on Thursday.

Their key suggestions are to:

  • - 
    establish a frank dialogue on promoting good governance, democracy, the rule of law, human rights and combating corruption, but link development aid to these being strictly respected,
  • - 
    step up European peace and security actions, in close cooperation with African and international partners,
  • - 
    provide more substantial European help for sustainable agriculture, small-scale farmers, national education systems and combating climate change,
  • - 
    start an intense EU-African Union dialogue before negotiations for the two UN global compacts on migration and refugees begin in 2018.

First and foremost, member states must live up to their promises to finance an EU trust fund fostering growth and job creation, and should refrain from making development aid conditional on cooperation in migration matters.

The non-legislative resolution was backed by 419 votes to 97, with 85 abstentions.

Quote

Rapporteur Maurice Ponga (EPP, FR) said: “Strengthening the EU-Africa partnership will contribute to the development of both continents and help to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The EU is a major contributor to Africa’s development, trade and security, but it must continue to invest, especially in education to offer prospects for younger generations. Our future is interlinked, so we must act together.”

Strengthening the EU-Africa partnership will contribute to the development of both continents and help to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Rapporteur Maurice Ponga (EPP, FR)

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Quick facts

In July, Parliament gave its green light to an EU investment plan tackling the root causes of migration in Africa, but warned that aid money must foster development and not be used to stop refugees.

A high-level conference on Africa, hosted by the European Parliament, will take place in Brussels on 22 November, in the run-up to the Africa-EU summit at the end of November in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.