OUTLINE FOR A JOINT EP/PAP STRATEGY IN PREPARATION OF THE EU/AFRICA SUMMIT, LISBON 2007

PAN-AFRICAN PARLIAMENT

PARLEMENT PANAFRICAIN

البرلمان الأفريقي

PARLAMENTO PAN-AFRICANO

OUTLINE FOR A JOINT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT/PAN-AFRICAN PARLIAMENT STRATEGY IN PREPARATION OF THE EUROPE/AFRICA SUMMIT TO BE HELD IN DECEMBER 2007 IN LISBON, PORTUGAL

(AIDE-MEMOIRE FOR PAP)

By Dr. Samuel EFOUA MBOZO’O

PAP Deputy Clerk for

Legislative Affairs

September 2007

1. BACKGROUND OF EUROPE-AFRICA RELATIONS

Ties between Africa and Europe have existed over centuries and they have brought about different forms of cooperation covering political, economic, social, cultural and linguistic domains. While these ties are to be deplored at the beginning as they were dominated by unjustified prejudices and ignoble practices such as the slave trade, enslavement, mercantilism and colonization, there is now reason to welcome the fact that following African national independences these links have now been developing on the basis of common values such as the strengthening of representative and participatory democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, good management of public affairs, pluralism, international peace and security, political stability and trust amongst nations.

The Cairo Action Plan

Aware of this long-standing tradition of cooperation and in view of the fast globalization process, African and European Union Heads of State met under the aegis of the OAU and the EU on 3-4 April 2000 in Cairo, Egypt, to lend a new strategic dimension to the global partnership between Africa and Europe in the 21st Century, in a spirit of equality, respect, alliance and cooperation between the two continents. The main objective of this new partnership, as per the declaration produced by the Cairo meeting, consists in strengthening existing ties in matters of economic, political and cultural cooperation through the creation of an environment and effective framework that may facilitate constructive dialogue on economic, political, social and development issues, specifically on:

- regional economic cooperation and integration;

- integration of Africa into global economy;

- human rights, democratic principles and institutions, good management of public affairs and rule of law;

- consolidation of peace and conflict prevention, management and resolution;

- development.

2. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CAIRO ACTION PLAN

To facilitate the implementation of the Cairo action plan and ensure its follow-up, Europe-Africa ministerial Troika meetings were instituted. The first meeting took place in Brussels, Belgium, on 11 October 2001.

To date, eight ministerial meetings have alternately been held in Europe and Africa, and the next session (the 9th) is scheduled for Accra, Ghana, in late October 2007. These ministerial meetings are always preceded by consultations at expert level. During the meetings, joint declarations are made on political, economic, social and development issues. This has been the case with:

- the declaration on terrorism (Brussels, October 2001)

- the draft Ouagadougou action plan against human trafficking, in particular of women and children;

- the adoption of the Outline for the joint EU/Africa strategy (Brussels, May 2007).

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