Prospects_for_Africa_05-2009

							  05/2009



                                                                     November 9, 2009

Our Topics:
  1. Workshop on financing the Africa-EU Strategy
  2. Africa-EU Ministerial Troika in Addis Ababa
  3. The Africa-EU Partnership – A Contribution on Regional Integration
  4. Civil Society in the Africa-EU Partnership at the European Development
      Days
  5. UN Climate Negotiations on Bangkok – On the Way to Copenhagen
  6. Events and Dates




   1. Workshop on financing the Africa-EU Strategy

More than 300 participants from Africa and Europe met in Addis Ababa from the 5th
to the 7th October to discuss the financial and human resource capacities required for
the implementation of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy.

The last two years have shown that expectations regarding the Partnership are
different on the African and the European sides, especially regarding the financing of
the Joint Africa-EU Strategy. The meeting began with an open panel debate to clarify
the    different    expectations   of    the    participants   in   the    Workshop.
Afterwards, the Joint Groups of Experts discussed the challenges that above all lie
with financing, a lack of human resources and the administration of the expert
groups.
Both on the African and on the European side, it became clear that in a partnership
on a par, financing has to come from both partners. The means to implement the
Partnership are frequently available, although accessing them is difficult since they
have often been deposited in a very inflexible manner.

In addition, the insight is growing that the composition of the Joint Expert Groups is
problematic since, often enough, more political experts are members of them than
experts on particular subjects are. Additionally, the aspect of practical implementation
frequently receives too little attention.
Since the Joint Africa-EU Strategy reflects virtually all areas of the relationship
between Africa and the EU, the partnerships and their implementation differ
considerably. Some of them focus more on dialogue and seeking a common position.
These then above all require more human resources. In contrast, others are
interested in realising concrete projects and in particular need financial resources.

Lively exchange and the discussions show that interest taken in the Africa-EU
Strategy continues to be considerable on both sides.

In the run-up to the Workshop, the European Centre for Development Policy
Management (ECDPM) compiled four papers on financing the Joint Africa- EU
Strategy:

   •   Paper I – „Treating Africa-as-one“: Why is it important & how can it be done?
   •   Paper II – An EU Pan-African Budget Envelope: Reflections on a possible
       future financing instrument
   •   Paper III – General state of play on EU financing of the JAES
   •   Paper IV – Understanding the linkages between the JAES and Cotonou




   2. Africa-EU Ministerial Troika in Addis Ababa

On the 14th October this year, the 13th Meeting of the EU-Africa Ministerial Troika
took place in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.

Twice a year, the ministers of the African Union (AU) and the EU meet to take
decisions on co-operation between Africa and Europe and prepare the summit
meetings between the AU and the EU. At the centre of these talks, peace and
security in Africa featured as well as global challenges such as the climate and
finance                                                                   crises.
The meeting was chaired by Gunilla Carlsson from Sweden and Libyan Mohamed
Tahir.

Regarding the Africa-EU Strategy, the ministers once again stressed the importance
of the Partnership and their determination to continue to promote it. They welcomed
progress made in the implementation of the Africa-EU Strategy so far, such as the
successful Experts Workshop on Financing as well as the Africa-EU Joint Task Force
Meeting,        in     the        run-up      to     the       ministerial     troika.
However, they also pointed out that co-ordination and communication between the
individual actors as well as the co-chair and members of the Joint Expert Groups and
the two Commissions needed to be improved. Also, existing financing instruments
had to be made better use of in the implementation of the Strategy.

The Ministers once again called on all actors to actively participate in the
implementation of the Africa-EU Partnership. As opportunities for this, they referred
to attending the Joint Expert Groups or a forum of African and European civil society.




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Ahead of this meeting, the Africa-EU Joint Task Force had gathered. On the 8th and
9th October, the decision-makers of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy met in an extended
circle       for     what        was        in      all      the      ninth      time.
In addition to members of the European and African Commissions, the chairpersons
of the Joint Expert Groups, observers from the European and the Pan-African
Parliaments, as well as civil society representatives of both continents were present.
It is up to the Joint Task Force to prepare the meetings of the Ministerial Troika
regarding their contents.

The meeting of the 14th Africa-EU Ministerial Troika is to take place in Luxembourg
on the 27th April 2010. There, options for the development of a second Action Plan
from 2010 are to be assessed in advance.

You can find the Declaration adopted by the Troika here.

You can download the complete report of the Joint Task Force meeting here.




   3. The Africa-EU Partnership – A Contribution on Regional Integration


By Henry Richard Kimera, Director, Consumer Education Trust (CONSENT), Uganda
and Prof. Dr. h. c. Christa Randzio- Plath, VENRO Vice Chairperson.

Development of the regions, especially their strengthening and supporting through
infrastructure projects, are a success story of the European Union (EU). Regional
differences result in economic and social tension and encourage uncontrolled
developments and migration movements. This is why the creation of regional
economic and social areas is so crucial. The EU and the African Union (AU) have
agreed on promoting African regional integration in order to attain value added for
economic, employment and social development. This development is important
because it can contribute to the colonial structure oriented on the exploitation of
resources being replaced with transport, energy and technical capacity structures
beneficial to an interregional economic partnership for development and affluence.

The new Africa-EU Strategic Partnership provides for three billion euro from the
European Development Fund plus a further 500 million euro from the EU: In spite of
the importance of supporting infrastructure in regional development, progress in co-
operation is unsatisfactory. Above all, human development is not getting on because
investment in human resources is lacking. There is too strong a focus on technical
co-operation at bureaucratic level. In addition, priorities appear to lie with promoting
transport routes linking Europe with Africa.

What would be more important is the financing of a new transport structure in Africa
concentrating on the needs of the smallholder farmers and tradespeople in regional
economic transactions, thus contributing to alleviating poverty. In addition, involving
the local communities, the local population and civil society at local level in


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developing the project and implementing it is crucial. Here, the following standards
ought to apply:

   •   Infrastructure ought to relate to the needs of the respective local communities
       and consider them either indirectly or directly. Their knowledge of the
       environment and local dynamics could thus lead to more cost-effective
       infrastructure development.
   •   Awareness of the use of infrastructure needs to exist among the local
       communities so that they appreciate it, assume responsibility and maintain it to
       the benefit of sustainable development. Otherwise, they will not regard
       themselves as responsible for infrastructure but the corporation, the donor, the
       non-governmental organisation, the politician, the regional administrative body
       and/or the government that has created it.
   •   Clear and transparent communication is a precondition for infrastructure
       development. In the past, in a number of cases, local communities had to note
       that they were only considered as an afterthought. Thus they are not
       assuming responsibility but regard the measures needed for sustainability as
       those of the corporation, the donor, the non-governmental organisation,
       politics, the regional administrative body and/or the government that initiated
       them.

If local communities are sensitised, empowered, consulted and involved, they can –
as experience has shown – contribute their modest resources to infrastructure
projects.




From the 22nd to the 24th October of this year, the European Development Days were
held in Sweden’s capital of Stockholm.

For one day, the Joint Africa-EU Strategy, and in particular the role of civil society,
was at the centre of the event “Citizens at the heart of the Africa-EU Partnership.
Mobilising                                                             stakeholders”.
Discussions focused on how civil society could be integrated even better into the
processes. Regarding this issue, the participants summed up what had been
achieved in this respect over the past two years, what challenges the actors were
facing and what the necessary next steps were going to be in implementing the
Africa-EU Strategy.

The discussion was attended by African and European representatives of politics,
science       and       industry      as       well       as        civil     society.
Lars Bosselmann, official at the EU Liaison Office of the Christoffel Blinden Mission
(CBM) and member of the European Civil Society Steering Group of the Africa-EU
Strategy, has reported on the European Development Days for “Prospects for Africa”.

You can read his article here:




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Citizens at the Heart of the Africa-EU Partnership – Mobilising Stakeholders

By Lars Bosselmann, Policy Officer, CBM EU Liaison Office.

On the 23rd of October, in the frame of the European Development Days, a panel
discussion on the citizens’ involvement in the Africa-EU Partnership took place. This
event brought together a wide range of speakers who exchanged their views on how
to make sure that the Partnership lives up to one of its main objectives: to be people-
centred.

There was agreement amongst participants that in order to make a difference, this
Partnership needs to produce tangible results. Only if this happens will citizens on
both continents be able to see the value added by the Joint Africa-EU Strategy.

The European Civil Society Steering Committee was represented by Lars
Bosselmann. He shared with the participants the experience and results that have
been achieved so far in relation to civil society involvement. According to him, results
are mixed and more needs to be done in order to achieve full CSO participation
across the various parts of the implementation.
Both Akere Muna (President of the ECOSOCC, the Economic, Social and Cultural
Council of the African Union) and Lars Bosselmann insisted on the importance of
organising regular exchanges between African and European civil society. This
would be crucial in order to learn from each other, but also in order to make joint civil
society inputs into the future development of the strategy.


Official page of the European Development Days.




   5. UN Climate Negotiations on Bangkok – On the Way to Copenhagen

From the 28th September to the 9th October of this year, the last (but one) round of
UN climate negotiations was held in the Thai capital of Bangkok ahead of the summit
talks in Copenhagen in December.

Andrew Adwera, Research Fellow at the African Centre for Technology Studies
(ACTS) in Nairobi, attended the meeting in Bangkok and has summarised its
outcome for Africa’s Prospects.

Read his article here:

Reflection on the recently concluded Bangkok Talks
The race towards a Copenhagen Framework – supplementary financial mechanisms
to support Climate Change Finance architecture

By Andrew Adwera (Research Fellow at the African Centre for Technology Studies,
ACTS), Kenya



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The first part of the first session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on further
Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol (AWG-KP) and the first
part of the seventh session of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long-term Cooperative
Action under the Convention (AWG-LCA) took place between Monday 28 September
and Friday 9 October 2009 in Thailand’s capital of Bangkok.
Issues arising from representatives of Least Developed Countries (LDC), the G 77,
many Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as well as different stakeholders from
China and Africa were concerned with industrialised nations. The reason for this was
that the Kyoto Protocoll works in favour of Annex 2 countries – meaning that the
Kyoto Protocoll framework had set targets that Annex 1 was bound by, and doing
away with this meant that compliance towards emission reductions and historical
compensations were going to be reset or done away with.
Hence why have partnerships such as the Africa-EU Partnership become so
essential for the Copenhagen Summit? Such partnerships reinforce and provide
advice on loopholes, showing how well African vulnerable countries can position
themselves towards a sustainable deal. The negotiations are for sure becoming very
challenging, and there is a lot of pressure that can easily break down the blocks like
LDCs on pursuing great incentive.
As delegates head to Barcelona, there is need to put pressure on closing such ranks
on existing internal rows that can lead to breaking up the blocks and positions. There
is finally a need for negotiators to make use of the various roles of civil society
organisations that have wide experience with the issues of advocacy, campaigning
and field research concerning climate change.
The next climate change talks will be held from the 2nd to the 6th November in
Barcelona, Spain.

Andrew Adwera is Research Fellow at the African Centre for Technology Studies,
ACTS), in Nairobi, Kenya
The official homepage of ACTS: www.acts.or.ke




6. Coming events and announcements:

Africa-EU Strategy in the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”

In the run-up to the international conference “Partnership for the Poor?” at Deutsche
Welle in Bonn on the 30th November, a full-page advertisement referring to the
Africa-EU Partnership is to appear in the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” on the 28th
November. In various contributions, German and African partners will demonstrate
the importance of the Africa-EU Strategy for the people of both continents. Among
the authors is former UN Secretary-General and Nobel Prize-Winner Kofi Annan. The
advertisement is to appear in the context of the VENRO project “Prospects for Africa
– Europe’s Policies”.




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26.11.2009
Workshop: “The Africa-EU Partnership for Trade, Regional Integration and
Infrastructure. Rural Development Has Priority”
Gustav-Stresemann Institute

Two years after the adoption of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy in Lisbon, progress in
the Partnership for Trade, Regional Integration and Infrastructure has turned out to
be slower than originally hoped for.

The object of the workshop “Rural Development Has Priority” is deficits in the Action
Plan 2008−10. Recommendations will be discussed on how local and regional
markets to support rural development and regional integration can be promoted. In
addition, proposals for the Action Plan addressed to decision-makers in Europe and
Africa            are              to          be            worked              out.
The event will be held in English.



27.11.2009
Workshop “Local Power and Women’s Rights – Gender Perspectives on
Decentralisation Processes”
“Haus der evangelischen Kirche” in Bonn

Given the low participation of women in political offices, the question arises what
opportunities and risks are borne by the transfer of decision-making structures to the
local     level      for     the     implementation        of     gender       justice.
Discussions at the VENRO Workshop are to address what strategies there are to
promote greater participation of women at local level. Here, approaches and women-
policy strategies both of civil society as well as of government institutions and
development donors are to be discussed. The event is to be held in English.



30. November 2009
International Conference
Partnership for the Poor? The Joint Africa-EU Strategy: Risks and
Opportunities
Deutsche Welle, Bonn

On the 30th November, the international conference “Partnership for the Poor?” will
be held in Bonn in co-operation with the European Umbrella Association CONCORD
and Deutsche Welle. Two years have passed since the Joint Africa-EU Strategy was
adopted by the heads of state and government in Lisbon in December 2007. The
Conference aims to take stock: Of what benefit has the Strategy been to the poor?
The focal points are the issues of Good Governance and Gender, Energy and
Climate,         and          Regional        Integration        and        Trade.
The results of the workshops on trade and gender will enter the panel debate at the
Conference.
You can register for the Conference by sending an Email to
afrikas.perspektive(at)venro.org


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Dates

November 2009
3rd Steering Committee Meeting of the Africa-EU Partnership for Infrastructure −
date to be confirmed

For more events and meetings visit the official timetable of the Africa-EU-Partnership.



"Prospects for Africa – Europe's Policies"
The VENRO-Project on the Africa-EU-Partnership
Kaiserstraße 201, 53113 Bonn
Tel.: 0228 946 77 0, Fax: 0228 946 77 99
E-Mail: sekretariat@venro.org, Internet: www.afrikas-perspektive.de
Editors: Anke Kurat and Alessa Hartmann
Final editing: Kirsten Prestin

With the financial assistance of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation
and Development (BMZ)




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