EU Council adoption of EU Strategy for Africa marks new era in Euro-African relations

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The European Commission welcomed the endorsement today by the General Affairs and External Relations Council of the EU Strategy for Africa. This ambitious long term plan marks an important milestone in EU-Africa relations and will boost Africa's sustainable development. Discussions with African states and organisations are starting now about turning this strategy into concrete projects, in order to increase stability, boost economic growth and reduce poverty.

The adoption of the EU Strategy for Africa, proposed by the European Commission on 12 October 2005, marks the culmination of a year where the international community and, more particularly, the EU has put the focus on Africa. But this decision is not the end of the process; it has rather to be seen as the beginning of a new kind of partnership between the EU and Africa. The Strategy marks a step change in the way the EU deals with the African continent.

"Today, Europe has given a clear signal that we are serious about changing the way we talk, work and cooperate with Africa. Our partnership is based on a strong political dialogue between equal partners. We must avoid a paternalistic approach: we are not there to substitute States but enhance their capacities, promoting ownership and good governance", said Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel.

At last week's ministerial conference in Bamako, the EU and African Union's troikas agreed on a process to translate the Strategy into concrete actions. Commissioner Michel emphasized that he would ensure that the commitments would be implemented in time. To this end, he agreed with the African Union to establish a joint matrix. He underlined the need to have as soon as possible 'a scoreboard with clear time-bound projects, identifying precisely who does what'.

From the beginning of 2006, Commission officials will intensify the preparations to put in place the different initiatives proposed under the Strategy:

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