Cheludo

EU-African Relations

Transcript

1. EU-AFRICA RELATIONS 4th Africa - Europe Youth Summit Presented by Cheludo Tinaye Butale
2. Source:Westminister Foundation for Democracy
3. Outline 1.EU-Africa relations 2.Importance of EU-Africa relations 3.Challenges of EU-Africa relations 4.Challenges of the youth 5.Contribution to Summit
4. Main area of focus of EU-Africa Relations  Peace and security  Democracy  Human rights  Development and sustainable economic growth.
5. Importance of EU-Africa Relations  EU is Africa’s most important external partner. The Cotonou Partnership Agreement signed in 2000 , defines the various aspects of the relationship between African countries with the EU in terms of development cooperation, political and trade dimensions.  Europe offers Africa support in the development of an inclusive democratic societal system, without which there would not be any sustainable, prosperous, peaceful development among African countries.
6. contd. . .  The Joint Africa-EU Strategy that was signed in 2007 has also provided ways of strengthening European-African partnership dialogue in the area of:  human security  political stability  effective governance  sustainable and inclusive growth.
7. Challenges of EU-Africa Relations Technocratic nature of decision making  Technical expertise of the EU in financing development in Africa which results to top down decision making process instead of bottom up decision making Multiple levels of decision making  EUs Africa policy consists of three institutional bodies , development aid , trade and foreign policy with different decision making procedures  Member States interests  Dependency by Africa on funding from the EU
8. Challenges of the Youth Politically marginalization in decision making  The youth participates less in politics. Most African countries have witnessed ageing leadership in power. Meanwhile in Europe, there is a great difference between the various age groups when it comes to European citizenship.  For instance this discrepancy was proven in the Brexit vote, when most youth voted for Britain to remain in the EU, whereas they elders did not. Young Europeans and Africans have however, been the driving forces behind political and social movements calling for democracy and social and political change .
9. contd . . . . Unemployment and job creation  Unemployment in Africa continues to be the highest in the world, especially among women .  Lack of sustainable incomes has led to African youth migrating to Europe and within Africa to find employment .  There has also been great focus on entrepreneurship by EU-Africa on African youth leaving behind structural inequalities that are not solvable through entrepreneurship only.
10. Contribution to the Summit  Come up with alternative means where neo-liberal economic policy associated with market-led integration adopted in regional organisation can also take into account social rights issues  Come up with alternative approaches to address the lagging implementation of policies within regional organisations particularly in Africa . In theory, regional organisations such as the AU pursue a people-centred approach.  However , in practice the AU and sub regional organisations such as SADC and the EAC have promoted top down approach that do not have roots in the African population or indigenous movements particularly the youth .
11. Thank you