Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will receive, on Monday, at the Commission's headquarters in Brussels, Moussa Fakih, Chairperson of the African Union Commission. After a session of bilateral talks, they will co-chair the eleventh meeting between the European Union Commission and the African Union Commission, according to what was announced by the European Union's executive body in Brussels.
The two sides are expected to discuss steps to implement what was agreed upon during the recent summit between the African and European Unions
Last February, the European-African Summit was held, and during the sixth summit that brought them together in Brussels, the European Union and its African counterpart laid the foundations for a "renewed partnership" with assistance to produce vaccines against Covid in Africa and an investment strategy worth 150 billion euros to counter Russian and Chinese influence.
During the closing press conference of the summit, Senegalese African Union President Macky Sall said , "We now have a historic opportunity to look at the foundations of a new kind of partnership, a renewed partnership, that we want to build together."
The 27 member states of the Union launched their "Global Investment Strategy", which amounts to at least 150 billion euros over seven years, "to assist in projects that Africans want," with priority given to transportation infrastructure, digital networks and energy, according to the final declaration of the meeting.
"This aid, if it is actually mobilized, constitutes a great progress and a bridge between our two continents," Macky Sall said, while European Council President Charles Michel indicated that it is expected that there will be a "monitoring mechanism" every six months to ensure that projects "lead to tangible results." .
While Africa, rich in raw materials, attracts huge investments and loans from China, even if that means lending to the beneficiary countries, "the European Union wants to be the reference partner for financing infrastructure and to do so in an exemplary way in the areas of climate, quality and sustainability," as French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized.
Several major projects have also been identified. But if Africa, whose population is still half deprived of electricity, wants to continue using fossil fuels, the Europeans prefer environmentally friendly investments.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed that "a stronger partnership means joining forces to fight climate change," calling for more hydroelectric power, solar energy and green hydrogen.
On the other hand, the European Union and the African Union pledged to "prevent irregular migration" and "make effective progress" in returning migrants in an irregular situation in the European Union and reintegrating them into their countries of origin.
Finally, while the Europeans regularly face criticism for their support of African regimes considered authoritarian, the final declaration of the summit stated the commitment of the European Union and the African Union to "respect for democratic principles, good governance and the rule of law" and the protection of human rights.