By Kordula Klimpel*
Africa and Europe are two continents which, with regard to their history, have been
and are still constructing aparadoxon. Being neighbors, today the two
continents are looking back at a history of exploitation and slavery, so that we – in
the 21st century – finally have to see our clear responsibility concerning the political,
social and economic change within our shared future. And there needs to be no
doubt: Not only the future of Africa but the future of Europe as well will be decided
by our common efforts necessitated by the predominant future challenge both
continents will be facing: Caring for people and their natural environment. For a very
long time we assumed that there will be no chance for change, but there is!
Success, as we are all aware, can only happen by taking our cooperation to
a new dimension that benefits both continents.
Germany and the European Union have focused on Africa, Germany in particular
during its presidency of the G20. The EU and its 28 member states want to redefine
the basis for cooperation between the EU and Africa by replacing the Cotonou
Agreement with a new partnership agreement. The intention of this redefinition is
now to find new solutions to new challenges. The question is: Where is the potential,
where are the problems and what could be the solutions? There is need for
discussion, ideas, invention and innovation to get all political and social stakeholders
involved. So everyone is invited to take part in analysing the situation and finding
solutions for a new partnership fostering learning and development.
However, there is not only ONE solution, ONE plan, ONE best way of
responding to the challenges that the cooperation between Europe and
Africa faces.
The challenges the African continent is facing in its diversity are not totally
comparable with the challenges Europe faced after World War II. But they can also
not find a solution without the same mobilisation of effort.
We as Europeans have to take a clear stand against all pessimism following our
belief and our optimism to find a longstanding path towards peace, development and
sustainability within the cooperation between Europe and Africa.
It must be an overarching and integrated strategy of the European Union
and its member states and the states of the African Union.
The core of all strategies will be
fair trade, more private investment, more bottom-up economic
development, more entrepreneurial spirit and, above all, more jobs and
employment.
The focus has to be put on African ownership, which must be strengthened, so that
the days of „aid“ and of „donors and recipients“ can be put behind us. The EU and its
member states like the African Union with ist member states are heading for a
partnership between equals. Therefore we all have to engage in reaching a new
agreement on political, economic, social and cultural cooperation. And the main
starting point will be the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Its intention is clearly
expressed:
An Africa that is both prosperous and at peace, where development
benefits all and is powered by the African people.
2017 was a crucial year for Africa and since then Europe is calling for all African
partners, all experts in civil society – from business, research and science, the media,
churches, business associations – and all those engaged in the various policy fields
who are interested in a reciprocal cooperation. Germany and the EU are inviting the
African Union to enter the discussion about the different solutions proposed with the
intention to advance them. Furthermore there are a lot of possibilties to lay the
groundwork for start-ups fueled by the cooperation between Europe and Africa,
focusing on development, peace and sustainability.
Units:
- We need a new pact on the future between Europe and Africa –
Africa’s population is set to double by 2050. It will then be home to 20 per
cent of all people in the world. Ensuring that hundreds of millions of young
Africans have enough food, energy and jobs and that their natural resources
are protected presents massive challenges but also opportunities. European
countries in particular can play a role in tackling these massive challenges by
offering their knowledge, innovations and technological advances and getting
directly involved. - Africa needs African solutions – The founding of the African Union (AU)
and launching of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) were
encouraging expressions of Africa’s desire to make a fresh start. And reform-
minded politicians have outlined Africa’s own vision of the continent’s future in
the AU’s Agenda 2063. Germany and Europe must now listen to what African
countries are saying and bring a new quality and a new dimension to their co-
operation with Africa. We need to move away from the donor-recipient men-
tality that has predominated for many decades and shift towards an economic
partnership based on initiative and ownership. Africa is Europe’s partner – not
only on matters of economic cooperation and development policy but also in
such key policy areas as trade, finance, the environment, agriculture, econom-
ics, foreign affairs and security. - Prioritising jobs and opportunities for young people – It is vital that
Africa’s young people can see a future for themselves in Africa. The average
age in Africa is 18. Soon Africa’s population will top 2 billion. That means that
20 million new jobs will be needed each year, in both urban and rural settings.
Developing the necessary economic structures and creating new employment
and training opportunities will be the central challenge. Africa’s young people
also need contact and interaction with Europe. Europe must develop a strat-
egy that allows for legal migration whilst combating irregular migration and
people smuggling. - Investment in entrepreneurship – It’s not the governments that will cre-
ate all the long-term employment opportunities that are needed, it’s the pri-
vate sector. So it’s not subsidies that Africa needs so much as more private in-
vestment. That means creating an attractive environment within Africa itself.
But it also means developing new instruments for mobilising and safeguarding
investments. That will be topped off by proposals for corporate tax incentives
and new investment opportunities, such as Africa funds or infrastructure
bonds. - Value creation not exploitation – Africa must be more than the continent
of raw materials. The Marshall Plan is powered by a new kind of economic pol-
icy – one focused on economic diversification, the establishment of production
chains, targeted support for agriculture and small and medium-sized busi-
nesses, enhanced status for trades and crafts and thus the creation of a
new SME sector. Europe needs to support this by offering improved access to
the EU single market and dismantling trade barriers. - Demanding the right political environment and supporting its development Sustainable economic development is reliant on the rule of law, on
both men and women enjoying political participation and on efficient and non-
corrupt administrative structures. Everyone should benefit from economic
progress in a country, not just the elites. That is something to be supported
and also demanded on a daily basis. - Reform partnerships, not a blanket approach – The members of the
African Union have committed to specific reforms in their Agenda 2063. We
will be taking Africa’s commitments seriously and will step up our development
cooperation with those partners who implement reforms aimed at good gover-
nance, protection of human rights and economic development. - Equitable global structures and institutions – Reforms in Africa must
also be matched by reforms in Europe and at global level. The main areas are
fair trade, combating illicit financial flows and putting a stop to arms sales to
areas in crisis. New forms of political cooperation also demand closer coopera-
tion between European and African institutions. That means a permanent seat
for the African nations on the United Nations Security Council and an en-
hanced role in all international organisations and negotiations, such as the
World Trade Organization (WTO). - ODA cannot provide all the answers – A lot has been achieved with Offi-
cial Development Assistance. Yet it cannot cope with the challenges of an en-
tirely new dimension we are facing. ODA should instead serve more to facili-
tate and promote private investment. African countries themselves must also
mobilise considerably more domestic revenues, for example in the form of
higher tax receipts. - We will leave no one behind – Germany will deliver on its shared responsi-
bility for the least developed countries. The Marshall Plan highlights people’s
basic needs: food security, water, energy, infrastructure, digitalisation, health
care and access to education – particularly for women and girls. We need to
acknowledge the opportunities and challenges presented by urbanisation.
And, just as much, we need to harness the potential of rural development and
agriculture.
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*) Die Autorin ist politische Analytikerin und Beraterin.