Activists demonstrate against the Doha Round global trade talks. Analysts say inclusion in the Cotonou agreement is a major victory for the African Union. Photo/REUTERS
Africa’s dialogue with Europe on key policy subjects including development and economic partnerships could be headed for a shift following the formal inclusion of the African Union (AU) as a partner in a major framework guiding such deliberations.
In a deal reached at the weekend between Brussels and the 79-member African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) group, the AU will henceforth become a partner in the revised Cotonou agreement that has over the years guided dialogue between Europe and developing countries.
“Its role in fostering cooperation and peace and security, in promoting growth and in tackling cross-border challenges is emphasised. In Africa, the continental dimension is also recognised, and the African Union becomes a partner of the EU-ACP relationship,” the EU says in a statement announcing the revised Cotonou agreement.
The partnership agreement between the ACP members and the European Community was signed on June 23,2000 in Cotonou, Bénin-— hence the name “Cotonou agreement”.
It was concluded for a 20-year period from March 2000 to February 2020, and entered into force in April 2003.
Analysts say inclusion in the agreement is a major victory for the AU that has engaged in a relentless behind the scenes lobbying in its endeavour to have a say in Europe’s deals with Africa.
“This gives the AU a chance to prove its case. It has clamoured to be heard on issues on Africa,” John Mwangi, an independent analysts in international relations says. “What now remains is how effectively it can bring together all African voices.”
Effective involvement
For instance, the AU Assembly in February 2008 went on record as having requested the AU Commission to ensure the effective involvement of regional economic communities (RECs) such as the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) and other stakeholders in the implementation and monitoring processes of partnerships between Europe and Africa.
It further requested the commission to submit a special report to each Session of the Executive Council on the progress made in the implementation of the partnership with the European Union.
The assembly’s demands were particularly driven by decisions by some African countries to sign interim EPAs (economic partnership agreements) with Europe, an issue it pointed out threatened Africa’s unity.
“Though leaders across the divide acknowledge the importance of the interim trade agreements, there has been concern that the pacts ported a ‘divide and rule tactic’ by Europe that is against the long-term interests of the continent,” the AU Assembly said after a meeting in Addis Ababa in February 2008.
International trade analysts say the latest inclusion in the revised Cotonou agreement is certain to strengthen the AU’s quest for “bigger clout” in dealing with partners such as Europe.
Former Trade minister Mukhisa Kituyi says the move would provide the AU with an opportunity to streamline economic and development programmes with Europe, owing to its wide-representation structure.
“Besides, I see new momentum in the ongoing economic partnership agreements (EPA) talks that have been slowed by transitions in government and the offices of ministers charged with the deliberations. The inclusion of the AU will certainly bring about the element of continuity whereby discussions can go on without bothering about transition in government or ministerial offices,” Dr Kituyi says.
State fragility
The revised Cotonou agreement brings on board new aspects such as climate change, food security, regional integration, State fragility and aid effectiveness.
It also focuses on the importance of regional integration for ACP countries’ economic and sustainable growth.
According to the new deal, the agreement will be reviewed every five years until 2020.
The first revision took place in 2005 and prepared the ground for the 2007-2013 financial framework of development assistance.
Once approved by the EU Council, the new agreement is envisaged to be formally signed by all parties in June and thereafter ratified by all ACP States and EU member States.
For the EU, its clearance will require the consent of the European Parliament.
European Commissioner for Development Andris Piebalgs says the partnership agreement forms a key instrument in fighting against poverty.
“The revised agreement promotes an open dialogue and a flexible and participatory approach to reduce and eventually eradicate poverty. It aims to foster regional integration, to address global challenges such as climate change and supports ACP countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). With this new agreement, the EU and ACP States are geared up to better deliver to the poor and to strengthen their political relations,” he says.
A preview of the new agreement showed that the second revision sought to adapt the partnership to changes which have taken place over the last decade such as addressing the growing importance of regional integration in ACP countries and in ACP-EU cooperation.
“No development can take place without a secure environment. The new agreement will highlight the interdependence between security and development and tackles security threats jointly. Attention will be paid to peace building and conflict prevention. A comprehensive approach combining diplomacy, security and development cooperation is developed for situations of fragility,” it partly stated.
Besides, the new agreement aims at laying emphasis on major challenges facing the ACPs as they try to meet their MDGs.
In this realm efforts would be directed towards food security, fighting HIV-Aids, and sustainability of fisheries.
“These will be addressed in the new agreement. The importance of each of these areas for sustainable development, growth and poverty reduction will be underlined, and joint approaches for our cooperation are now agreed,” the pact further says.
For the first time, the EU and the ACP also moved to recognise the global challenge of climate change as a major subject for their partnership.
The parties commit to raising the profile of climate change in their development cooperation, and to support ACP efforts in mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change.
Revised agreement
The revised agreement also highlights the challenges ACP countries are facing to integrate better into the world economy, in particular effects of preference erosion and consequently underlines the importance of trade adaptation strategies and aid for trade.
The new deal further says it will strive to provide more value for money by ensuring it puts in practice internationally agreed aid effectiveness principles, in particular donor coordination.
It will seek to untie EU aid to the ACP countries to reduce transaction costs.
“For the first time, the role of other EU policies for the development of ACP countries is recognised and the EU commits to enhance the coherence of those policies to this end,” the EU says.
Meanwhile, Europe has moved to forestall a looming conflict with African partners over a key development kitty — the European Development Fund (EDF).
This follows last month’s damning findings of an audit on the effectiveness of previous disbursements of the EDF that unveiled massive hitches that would have to be addressed if such funding is to make a mark in East Africa that has four regional integration bodies working at the same time.
One such finding was the “crowded numbers” of bodies participating in regional integration from eastern Africa.
They include the East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa), the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad), and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC).
“These organisations show significant overlaps in geographical coverage and membership and in mandates and policy objectives,” the European Court of Auditors says in a report titled Effectiveness of EDF Support For Regional Economic Integration in East Africa and West Africa.
This observation, though weighty, triggered protests from some of the organisations amid claims that the EU’s audit arm had no mandate to interfere with their work arrangements.
EU’s director general in-charge of Aid Development (Aidco), Garry Quince, however says the protests were misplaced noting that the jurisdiction of the court of auditors is clearly defined.
“I would emphasise that the court audits the commission’s management of these programmes and not that of regional organisations,” he says in a statement.
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