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(15/10/09) Summing up progress – the JAES Mid Term Review

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A full Mid Term Review of the implementation of the Joint Africa EU Strategy (JAES) and its First Action Plan was undertaken during the 13^th EU-AU Ministerial Troika meeting in Addis Ababa on 14^th October 2009. The Mid Term Review report highlights the achievements of the Joint Strategy over the past two years and reaffirms the long-term commitment to building a relationship based on partnership rather than donorship.

Two years into the JAES First Action Plan (2008-2010), the report analyses the progress made so far, identifies shortfalls and presents a number of recommendations for the way ahead. It reasserts the determination to build on the innovative character of the Joint Strategy and to continue moving the Partnership into a broad-based cooperation involving governments, parliaments, continental and regional institutions, as well as civil society, the private sector and international partners.

Significant progress has been made through JAES in the reinforcement of political dialogue and cooperation between the EU and Africa both bilaterally and in international fora. The Africa-EU partnership played an important role, for example, in ensuring the involvement of the African Union in the G20 framework.

Both Europe and Africa have been confronted with major global challenges over the past two years, requiring reinforced cooperation and a common response. In particular, the economic downturn has seen a significant fall off in the growth witnessed in recent years in Africa. A global and concerted approach is required to ensure that progress achieved towards reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is not compromised as a result of this. This has been facilitated through JAES.

Under the Peace and Security Partnership, EU-Africa cooperation has been instrumental in addressing the crisis in Somalia and elsewhere ( Sudan, Guinea, Madagascar,…). EU support to the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) continues to be vital in building capacity.

With regard to climate change, Africa and the EU are cooperating closely in view of the UN Climate Change Convention in Copenhagen at the end of 2009. In this context, the joint Africa EU declaration of Poznan helped creating the necessary momentum for reaching the ambitious EU targets and further consolidating the AU position.

Progress is continuing with regard to trans-African networks and support to regional integration, areas in which Europe is able to share the benefit of its own experience in these areas. The JAES has likewise given a boost to cooperation in science and research, with increasing exchanges between Europe and Africa and new impetus to the development of new technologies, particularly through connection with European networks such as GIANT and GALILEO.

More can and should, however, be done in the future: on both sides, additional efforts are necessary for establishing common positions in international fora and key negotiations, and to give better visibility to the principles of the unity of Africa and the interdependence between Africa and Europe. The UN Conference on Climate Change and the 2010 MDG Review Summit will provide two important occasions to demonstrate joint efforts in successfully addressing key issues of global concern through the multilateral system.

JAES needs to encourage more active participation and buy-in from individual Members States and of African Regional Economic Communities (RECs). It will also need to stimulate greater involvement of civil society and the private sector if the full potential of the partnership is to be realised. Likewise, attention should be paid to diversifying and expanding the resources available to the Joint Strategy in order to ensure that it has access to the funds needed to achieve its goals.

Europe is the biggest provider of development aid in the world.