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OPEninG REMARkS OF THE PRESiDEnT OF THE Link! EUROPEAn COMMiSSiOn, JOSE MAnUEL BARROSO Link ! hairperson Ping, Deputy Chairperson In my second mandate at the helm of the European Concentrate on results in each of the eight thematic Mwencha, Dear Commissioners, Commission, I express my determination to continue partnerships in the remaining months of the First Crepresentatives of the Regional our pioneering work with Africa, in particular on Action Plan (2008-2010). Economic Communities: it is a great pleasure achieving the MDGs, and making a real impact on the to be here in Addis Ababa. On behalf of all challenges of food and water security, health and Provide guidance to the EU-Africa Summit European Commissioners, I would like to education. preparation and identify what should be its main thank you for your warm welcoming. deliverables. Moreover, the EU’s internal growth strategy - the 2007 is remembered as the year the Lisbon Europe 2020 Strategy – that I have presented in the The European Commission is in the early stages of Summit took Africa-EU relations up to a new beginning of this year, also takes into account the submitting proposals (Communication this autumn) strategic level. Leaving behind old stereotypes, need to invest further in our relations with strategic for the future of the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership. breaking up with the donor-recipient partners, as Africa. I expect that today's discussions can provide useful relationship of the past, Europe and Africa inputs and can stimulate our future work. moved forward defining the terms of a Africa has been through major transformations in modern partnership of solidarity and equality. the last years, and partly due to the impressive work the African Union has been undertaking. I would like Three years after Lisbon, and despite the central role that our two organizations play it is clear that just by 2010 should be remembered as the year therefore to commend your leadership, Chairperson Jean Ping and Deputy Chairperson Mwencha, in ourselves will not be able to deliver on the ambitious Africa and Europe were able to pool efforts Lisbon commitments. and achieve their ambitious Lisbon raising the continental and international profile of the African Union Commission. commitments. Other actors need to do their part. We need the In areas such as peace and security, the African Union political ownership of our Member States, 2010 is the defining moment for both Africa has taken a courageous stance against parliaments, civil society, and the regional economic and Europe to measure the achievement of unconstitutional changes of governments (in communities. the eight thematic partnerships agreed in Mauritania, Guinea, Niger and Madagascar) and Lisbon. We have a collective obligation assumed a crucial role in African peacekeeping, I am pleased to see here today representatives of the towards the people of our continents to bring particularly in Somalia and Sudan. Regional Economic Communities (RECs) associated concrete results. to our work for the first time. The RECs are Your institution has evolved as a central actor for essential actors in the implementation of the Joint This 4th meeting of our two Commissions defending our common principles of democracy and Strategy, particularly when it comes to fostering constitutes an important milestone in taking this good governance. Today, you are an indispensible peace and security and economic integration in the process forward and in preparing the 3rd Africa– partner, both on the African continent and on the continent. EU Summit. international stage. Allow me now to conclude with some You all know my personal commitment and The European Commission has been assisting you in recommendations that should guide today’s that of the European Commission towards this path. In the multilateral setting, the European discussions in the clusters format: Africa. In recent times we showed that this Commission has been strong advocate of the commitment is not only about words but also principle of a better representation of the African 1. Focus on policy coherence, effective division of about deeds. continent in international fora: the G20/G8, the labour and track record of implementation of United Nations and other International Financial commitments. Where can the two Commissions In the last two years the European Institutions (World Bank, IMF). add value? How can we engage our Member Commission has adopted a 1 billion euros States and mobilise ownership of the Strategy? Food Facility, a 500 million euros Vulnerability I see a special role for African institutions (the FLEX mechanism to mitigate the effects of the African Union in particular) and for African representatives in international fora. 2. Treat Africa as One: we should encourage all economic crisis a 200 million Euros, under the actors, Member states, the RECs and EDF, to help developing countries cope with In our bilateral relation, the political and institutional ties between our sister institutions have grown stakeholders to treat North and Sub-Saharan higher food prices; and committed 150 million African as one. euros of fast start financing, up to 2012, as part stronger in the past few years. You know you can count with us to support your reforms’ process. of the overall European pledge of 7.2 billion 3. Strengthen our institutional cooperation: the euros, to tackle the effects of Climate Change. Under the 10th EDF, we have a 55 million euro programme in support to building the capacity of the European Commission remains ready to assist African Union and its organs. the AUC to pursue its capacity-building efforts to In support of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy and strengthen its policy-making and implementing its eight thematic partnerships, the European A strong alliance between the two Commissions has capacity at the continental level. The new Commission alone has committed 24.4 billion been and will continue to be crucial to drive the Memorandum of Understanding which will be euros through its various financial instruments continent-to-continent Partnership forward. signed today will be of essential value in this for the period 2007-2013 (16 billion euros of respect. which related to European Development I suggest that we work with the following guidance in Fund, including regional and national mind: 4. Seek concrete results in the different thematic envelopes). areas. Develop further our political and technical In addition, our Member States (EU15) have cooperation and explore the synergies between the I thank you for your attention and wish us all a provided a total amount of 19 billion euros in EU’s Europe 2020 and the African Union’s Strategic successful working day. Official Development Assistance flows to Africa Plan for 2009-2012. Jose Manuel Barroso, President of European Commision in 2008. 1 Photo: Antony Njuguna 1 2 LiEn! LiEn ! par toutes les Parties prenantes à nos sociétés globales. Cette concertation pourra être respectives. étendue à d’autres questions internationales d’intérêt commun, telles que la situation au Dans ses «Mémoires», Jean Monnet, l’un des Pères Proche-Orient, au problème de la non- de l’Europe affirmait que « ce qui est prolifération des armes de destruction important, ce n’est, ni d’être optimiste, ni massive. pessimiste, mais d’être déterminé ». Devant des incertitudes et des bouleversements d’une 3. Le financement des activités et projets dans ampleur jamais connue par le passé et dans un le cadre du Plan d’Action demeure un monde marqué notamment par l’interdépendance, problème majeur et la discussion sur la la multipolarité, la globalisation et la nécessité création à moyen et à long terme d’une cruciale de la coopération internationale, définie enveloppe panafricaine ou du Fonds « Africa’s selon certains par le retour de la politique et la loi integration Facility » devra être accélérée. De de la rareté, la Commission de l’Union africaine est même, les deux Parties devront s’engager à plus que jamais, déterminée à apporter sa identifier à court et à moyen terme, des contribution à la consolidation et à la sources de financement à partir des concrétisation du partenariat stratégique Afrique- instruments existants. Il importe par ailleurs Jean Ping, Chairperson of AUC UE. C’est dans cet esprit que nous abordons cette de consolider les acquis en poursuivant les Photo: Antony Njuguna rencontre de nos deux Commissions avec les appuis précédemment accordés. observations ci-après : 1. Le partenariat stratégique Afrique-UE prône (…)A l’heure de la mondialisation, s’il est vrai que EXTRAiT DU DiSCOURS inTRODUCTiF DU une approche du Co-développement qui l’Europe ne peut plus avoir et n’a plus une relation PRESiDEnT DE LA COMMiSSiOn DE engage les deux Parties à investir leurs d’exclusivité ni de monopole avec l’Afrique, en ressources et moyens pour l’intérêt commun. dépit de liens historiques, géopolitiques et culturels L'UniOn AFRiCAinE JEAn PinG Pour la partie africaine, il doit être arrimé à qui eux, restent extrêmement forts, le partenariat la vision de l’UA et à sa stratégie de Afrique-UE établi sur la base de valeurs partagées, développement aussi solidement que d’objectifs communs et de respect, a marqué le (…)Plus de deux ans après l’adoption de la d’atteindre les objectifs définis dans le premier Plan possible, en privilégiant la paix et la sécurité, début d’une ère nouvelle dans les relations entre Stratégie commune et du premier Plan d’action, d’action, notre partenariat est désormais bien la sécurité alimentaire, l’intégration régionale nos Institutions respectives qui y ont gagné en notre rencontre offre également, dans la droite lancé. et continentale, l’accélération du processus termes de perception, de considération, de ligne de la 10è réunion de notre Task force de mars d’industrialisation, le développement des dialogue et de modes de travail.