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The German broadcaster “Deutsche Welle” predicted that 2021 will be a decisive year for relations between the European Union and Africa in light of whether the planned summit between the European Union and the African Union will be held early next year or not, as well as the need of leaders in the two continents, and crucially, To agree on the goals of this summit, a matter that has not been resolved until now.
Despite the great interest of the partnership between the European Union and the African continent since last March from the leaders of the two sides following the announcement by the European Union Commissioner for Development Jota Orbelenin and the European Union’s High Representative Josep Borrell about their new strategy for Africa, the European-African partnership plans, according to For Deutsche Welle’s analysis, I took a different turn, as the current year 2020 was a lost year for relations between the two continents, everything happened differently and not only because of the emerging coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Despite the optimism that prevailed in the European and African centers, following the statements of the High Representative of the European Union, Josep Borrell, last March that the European Union is the first partner for Africa in all areas of trade, investment, development, cooperation and security, in addition to demonstrating the desire to continue this matter and increase its effectiveness, but Things got worse differently than expected.
In October 2020, the heads of state of the African Union and 27 European Union countries and their delegations were supposed to celebrate the New Partnership at a summit in Brussels. In addition, an agreement was to be reached to succeed the “Cotonou” agreement, which regulates economic relations between the European Union and more. From 70 former European colonies in Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
The EU-Africa summit was postponed to 2021 due to the Coronavirus pandemic, while the proposal to hold a hypothetical meeting via the Internet failed to obtain support .. And the EU member states have not yet agreed to the new Africa strategy .. and it is not in sight. What is an alternative to the Cotonou Agreement, which ends in December 2020, despite Germany taking the presidency of the Council of the European Union from July to December 2020, and expecting the possibility that Berlin will play a decisive role in strengthening cooperation between the two sides, as German Chancellor Angela Merkel promised during a keynote speech last May that “Africa is an important aspect of our foreign policy.”
Matthias Moge of VENRO, an organization that includes developmental NGOs in Germany, said: “The European Union is very preoccupied with itself, partly due to the preoccupation with dealing with the (Covid-19) crisis … and consequently the interest in partnerships with Africa has become, since then. Is not getting the required attention. “
He pointed out that “the new European Union strategy on Africa has failed to attract much attention. The European Union wishes to work more closely with Africa in five main areas: green transformation, digital transformation, sustainable growth and jobs, peace and governance, migration and mobility.” Matthias Moggi described this strategy as one-sided.
He said, “We would like to develop such strategies with the African Union, African and European civil society … In this way, it will not look as if the European Union is imposing something on the Africans and they must interact with it.”
He pointed out that: “It is not only the Europeans who give up their interest in the African side. African countries are also frustrated by the current relationship with Europe.”
“Relations between Europe and Africa were never fair, despite terms like international cooperation, they represent an unequal exchange,” said Nigerian researcher Linda Erlo from the GIGA Institute of African Affairs, based in Germany.
According to a recent VENRO poll of 221 employees from various African NGOs, half of the respondents said that cooperation with Europe is “not working well” or “not working at all”.
Economic relations are the main point of contention in the relations between the two sides, with 31 percent of exports and 29 percent of imports, the European Union is an important trade partner for Africa, but the relationship is very unequal, as European countries mainly import raw materials from Africa while exporting high-value manufactured goods to them. Consequently, African economies barely have a chance to escape the cycle of dependence on European products, according to Deutsche Welle.
In this regard, the political scientist specializing in African affairs Robert Cabel said, “This unbalanced structure does not help in eliminating the continent’s problems such as high unemployment rates and the large informal business sector.”
He added that the dispute between the two continents is not limited to the economic aspect only, as immigration is another controversial topic, as the European Union routinely pressures African countries to secure their borders to stop the flow of illegal immigrants crossing into Europe.
Most Africans face difficulties in immigrating legally to Europe, as they have to belong to certain professions that Europe needs. Ghanaian immigration expert Stephen Adawen confirmed in this regard to “DW” television that African governments are not satisfied with this matter, referring to the interest of educated Africans returning from Immigration develops local economies, as well as governments benefit from remittances sent by citizens residing abroad.
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