The EU-Africa Strategic Partnership
By Jan van Rooyen(1)
Europe’s relationship with Africa will take centre stage this month as the EU-Africa Summit reconvenes after a seven year hiatus. Taking place in Lisbon over December 8 and 9 2007, the agenda will concentrate on the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership and First Action Plan drafted at the Africa-EU Ministerial Troika on October 31 2007. Portugal has convened the Summit as a means to reopen the fractured relationship between the EU and the African continent following growing tensions over a number of pivotal issues as well as to deal with the rising influence of China throughout the continent.
Zimbabwe…distorting the issues at hand
EU-Africa relations have been greatly influence by the events that have transpired in Zimbabwe over the past decade as the economy has continued to implode and President Robert Mugabe has ever centralised power, silenced opposition and punished dissident voices. The planned 2003 EU-Africa Summit was cancelled over divisions surrounding whether the EU should extend an invitation to President Mugabe who is largely seen as being responsible for spearheading Zimbabwe’s downward spiral.
In an effort to re-bolster relations with the continent, Portugal has extended an invitation to President Mugabe with the intention of facilitating debate and discussion regarding the Zimbabwe question. Little is expected to be achieved however as African Heads of State tend to view President Mugabe as a liberation hero and are reluctant to openly criticise Mugabe’s policies. If not handled delicately, the Summit could come to a standstill as European and African Leaders are diametrically opposed in their outlook over the issue. The root of the problem rests in the fact that African leaders believe the issue is domestic in nature at best and are reluctant to break the bonds of state sovereignty in the name of political reform. As a result of Mugabe’s attendance, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will not attend the Summit, nor will any senior levels members of the British Government.
EPAs
Another issue hanging over the Summit revolves around the looming deadline for the signing of Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the EU and regional economic blocks throughout the African Continent. Predecessors to the Lome Agreements which were found to be in conflict with the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) rules, the EPAs are slated to facilitate market access for regional trade blocks in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) States. The negotiations over the EPAs have been marred by a number of obstacles and are in danger of failure leading to many African states facing large tariffs and reduced access to European markets. Fundamentally, African trading blocks have been sceptical of the EPAs fearing an influx of European goods as well as unfair agricultural tariffs and subsidised European products.
African States are in danger of suffering massive trade losses without the signing of the EPAs, however the catch remains if the EPAs were to be signed in their present condition, many African States would experience massive declines in trade and tax revenues. African States do not have the negotiating power, experience or technical know how to successfully negotiate beneficial EPAs, nor do all States in an economic block have the same interests. Fundamentally, the EU will need to re-examine the EPAs and be able to table a way forward to continue to facilitate meaningful trade along side dialogue and partnership.
Confronting the Chinese element
The Summit comes at a crucial time in EU-Africa relations as Africa’s role as a major source of raw materials and growing import markets has attracted the attention of China who has played an ever increasing role on the continent, successfully positioning itself as an alternative to the perceived stringent requirements of cooperation with the West. China has increasingly been involved with and active on the Continent, attracting leaders with aid, investments and an unwavering dedication to uphold the principal of sovereignty held so dear. The challenge for the EU and the West as a whole is to redefine its relationship with the continent in terms that challenges the influence of the Chinese. The Summit is a first step in opening dialogue with the African Continent, its leaders and institutions in order to maintain a level of cooperation with Europe and Africa.
Defining future relations
Come December 8 and 9, a better idea of where EU–Africa relations are headed will be gained. If delegates to the summit are able to work through the issues and arrive at meaningful consensus as to where Africa needs to go and how the EU can assist, facilitate and guide the continent to achieve its objectives then the potential outlook will be strong. If however, the Summit looses sight of the end goal - a stronger more vibrant partnership between the EU and Africa - and gets caught on the many possible snags, than the relationship will be one fraught with peril and difficulty. The leaders at the Summit have the power to guide and shape the nature of the relationship between the two continents. Both sides however need to be open, amicable and ready to listen. It is feared that neither are able to do so as Africa will not listen to criticism and the EU refuses to acknowledge the pitfalls inherent within the Economic Partnership Agreements.
(1) Jan van Rooyen is a Director at Consultancy Africa Intelligence - jan.vanrooyen@consultancyafrica.com
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