SPEECH/07/801
José Manuel Durão Barroso
President of the European Commission
From working for Africa to working
with Africa: an EU/Africa partnership
for the 21st century
EU/Africa Summit
Lisbon, 8 December 2007
Excelências,
Ilustres Convidados,
Minhas Senhoras e meus Senhores,
A realização da Cimeira EU-África é a confirmação de como é importante e próxima
a relação entre a União Europeia e África.
Quero agradecer especialmente à Presidência Portuguesa do Conselho da União
Europeia sem a qual hoje não teríamos esta oportunidade de, ao mais alto nível,
definirmos uma estratégia conjunta para os dois continentes
Dispomos dos elementos necessários para fazer ascender as relações entre a
União Europeia e África a um nível estratégico e adequado aos novos desafios do
século XXI.
De facto muita coisa mudou desde o Cairo até Lisboa. A União Europeia passou de
15 a 27 Estados- Membros. Assumimos responsabilidades em novos domínios,
como a energia e a luta contra as alterações climáticas. Esperamos em breve ter
um novo Tratado que reforçará ainda mais a capacidade de acção da União
Europeia.
A África também sofreu profundas alterações. Assistimos à criação da União
Africana e ao lançamento do NEPAD, a Nova Parceria para o Desenvolvimento de
África. Constatamos hoje uma mudança de atitude radical na forma de encarar a
boa governação, as questões da paz e da segurança. Apesar de problemas
persistentes e nomeadamente situações inaceitáveis em termos de pobreza
absoluta, África conhece agora um crescimento económico sustentado e tem vindo
a assumir uma importância geo-estratégica crescente.
Por último, registo as rápidas mutações do mundo em que vivemos. Muitos dos
desafios que hoje enfrentamos – segurança, alterações climáticas, migrações em
massa, e pandemias como a Sida, a malária e a tuberculose - ignoram fronteiras e
exigem respostas transnacionais.
Ladies and gentlemen, Excellencies,
No-one has any doubts about the importance of this Summit.
This is not about what Europe can do for Africa or vice-versa, but about what we can
do together. After all, we are building on ancient links.
Thanks to the Joint Africa-EU Strategy - and I am proud that the European
Commission was the initiator of this approach - we have a shared vision and
common policy framework in place to deliver the full potential of this partnership.
Let me be quite clear: the achievements of the past will not be undone, aid policies
and instruments that have proven their efficiency will continue. The EU will respect
its commitment to the Millennium Development Goals, and will continue its
leadership role as the largest provider of development aid in the world.
But imagine what we can achieve together in the future. Imagine if we showed the
world this week that the EU and Africa are ready for the next step. Imagine if we
showed that with 1.5 billion people and 80 countries – almost half the UN
membership! – we can make a real impact, both regionally and as global partners.
This is important, because we are facing an increasing number of global challenges
that require a partnership approach. Let me pick out just two, as an example.
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First, climate change. An alliance on climate change will have beneficial effects on
both continents. Jointly we could: support adaptation to the effects of climate
change, some of them , like desertification, so devastating in Africa – including for
family-based agriculture; take initiatives to reduce the risk of natural disasters; and
promote equitable participation in the global carbon market.
Europe has what is perhaps the most ambitious agenda for tackling climate change,
while many African countries risk being among the worst affected especially some
poor countries of Africa. It is to both our advantages to develop common positions
and defend them in the international arena, beginning this week with the
negotiations in Bali for an ambitious post-2012 climate agreement.
A second challenge is to harness the potential of globalisation to deliver sustainable
growth and employment.
To get the most from globalisation for both Africans and Europeans, we must free
the dynamism of our entrepreneurs; attract new investment; develop infrastructure,
and build strong regional markets that can compete with the best in the world, as a
basis for achieving sustainable development and fostering economic and social
cohesion.
We do not want globalisation built on commodity booms or on abusive sweatshops.
We want a fair and sustainable globalisation, which benefits all our peoples in Africa
and Europe.
The Economic Partnership Agreements that we are currently negotiating, and in
many cases already concluding, also here in Lisbon, will help to do all these things.
They will turn our trading relationship into a healthy, diversified and developmentoriented partnership, anchored in a gradual integration of Africa into the global
trading system.
The Economic Partnership Agreements are therefore not only trade agreements;
they constitute the key instrument of a reinforced economic and political agenda.
They are tools at the service of our common development goals.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Excellencies,
Today our relationship is a mature one, which allows and implies that we can
discuss openly topics of common concern. This includes naturally the humanitarian
situation in Darfur or human rights respect in Zimbabwe.
Africa and Europe should now able to discuss human rights and good governance in
a true spirit of partnership.
And, frankly, I hope that those who fought for independence and for freedom of their
countries now accept the freedom for their own citizens.
Mesdames et Messieurs, Excellences,
Pour moi-même et pour la Commission que je préside, l'Afrique c'est la priorité. La
Commission européenne accorde une grande importance à la relation avec notre
institution sœur, la Commission africaine. Et d'ailleurs en 2006 la Commission
européenne s'est réunie pour la première fois hors de l'Europe à Adis Abeba, à
l'invitation du Président Konaré.
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Ma vision pour l’Europe et l’Afrique est celle d’une vraie relation d’égal à égal,
fondée sur la confiance, le respect et la responsabilité. Elle est bâtie sur des
partenariats élargis, au tour de réseaux qui s'établissent à tous les niveaux: nos
Gouvernements et nos Parlements, mais aussi les autorités locales, les
organisations syndicales, les Organisations non-gouvernementales, les créateurs et
les hommes et femmes de culture, les organisations de jeunesse et, aussi, tout le
secteur privé, qui a un rôle clé à jouer dans le développement économique.
Ici à Lisbonne, où l’on comprend bien que le rapport entre l’Afrique et l’Europe est
avant tout un rapport humain, nous devons construire un partenariat qui soit plus
qu’une relation politique ou diplomatique. Notre rapport avec l’Afrique est une
véritable cause qui doit mobiliser nos sociétés et notamment la jeunesse qui
n’accepte pas l’injustice qui a tellement frappée l’Afrique.
Alors tous ensemble profitons de ce sommet pour dépasser les vieux stéréotypes et
pour faire pleinement fructifier l’immense potentiel que promet ce partenariat
stratégique.
Merci.
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