The Africa-EU Partnership 2 UNIONS, 1 VISION

The Africa-EU Partnership 2 UNIONS, 1 VISION

2 UNIONS, 1 VISION

Contents Foreword - Two Unions, One Vision.... 4 INTRODUCTION - The Africa-EU Partnership... 6 Peace and Security... 7 Democratic Governance and Human Rights...10 Trade, Regional Integration and Infrastructure...12 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)... 15 Energy...16 Climate Change and Environment... 18 Migration, Mobility and Employment... 20 Science, Information Society and Space...22 Towards the 4 th Africa-EU Summit 2014... 24 Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership 3

Foreword Two Unions, One Future Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission We recognise the important role our all weather friends particularly the European Union have played in our pursuit to meet AU goals and objectives. As we forge our AU-EU relationship in this global arena, there is need to give a balance between the issues of Peace and Security and Development as both are two sides of the same coin. It is also our aim that the critical aspect of Institution and capacity building within the AU institutions can and should be a top-priority and as such, receive the needed attention within the Partnership framework. As Chairperson of the African Union Commission, I wish to echo the sentiment of my patriots who gathered in Lisbon in 2007, when this important Joint Africa-EU Strategy was first sanctioned. We are resolved to build a new strategic political partnership for the future, overcoming the traditional donor-recipient relationship and building on common values and goals in our pursuit... We are determined to give this new strategic partnership the necessary means and instruments that will enable it to fulfil the Joint Strategy and the Action Plan... It is my resolve that, I will do everything within my powers to ensure this becomes a reality. I am poised that with the creation of the Pan African Programme, we will have a dedicated instrument that can look at making this a reality. 4 Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership

Jose-Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission Relations between the European Union and Africa rank first among the EU s top political priorities. Both continents are bound by strong ties of friendship and interconnected future. Tackling the complex challenges in Mali and the Sahel illustrates the ability and the will of the international community and particularly Africa and the EU to face contemporary threats to peace and security. While acknowledging the imperative to build and strengthen peace, our partnership reaches beyond security and crisis. Our cooperation opens a window of opportunity for enhanced collaboration on our common priorities, such as the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals or securing a Global agreement on climate change. Europe remains strongly committed to the economic and social development of African countries and will continue to promote growth through increased trade and investment. Africa s potential for economic operations is indeed immense. As strategic partners, we need to further nourish a shared vision for future Africa-EU relations and adapt to new challenges facing our continents by providing shared answers to the big questions of our times. Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership 5

INTRODUCTION The Africa-EU Partnership In an ever changing world, one thing is sure: Africa and Europe will remain each other s closest neighbour. Africa s 54 countries and the European Union s soon-to-be 28 member states have a shared neighbourhood, history and future. It was in this spirit that Africa and Europe came together at the Lisbon Summit in December 2007 to create the Africa-EU Partnership, based upon a strong political relationship and close cooperation in all areas. The Partnership aims to bridge the development divide between Africa and Europe through closer economic cooperation and the promotion of inclusive and sustainable development in both continents, living side by side in peace, security, prosperity, solidarity and human dignity. Africa EU cooperation is based on shared values aiming at promoting common interests and achieving shared strategic objectives. Since the Lisbon Summit, the world has seen further massive changes, notably the global financial crisis and the Arab Spring, which have left their mark on both Africa and Europe. The two continents now face the challenge of building sustainable economic growth and ensuring that it is inclusive in creating the jobs needed by citizens of both continents, particularly women and youth, and that it is consistent with the principles of a green economy. For both Africa and Europe, sustainable and inclusive growth requires coordinated action at continental, regional and national levels. The two Unions aim at ensuring that the continent wide policies and programmes which they pursue support continental growth effectively. Full ownership and commitment is essential from Head of States and Governments at continental, regional and local levels. Civil society, in particular the private sector and social partners are key engines in driving growth forward. In this set up, both sides are determined to overcome the traditional donor-recipient relationship, and to develop a shared long-term vision for EU-Africa relations in a globalised world, where they play a major role on issues such as climate change or global security. The Joint Strategy has until now focussed on eight areas of cooperation: 1. Peace and Security, 2. Democratic Governance and Human Rights, 3. Trade, Regional Integration and Infrastructure, 4. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), 5. Energy, 6. Climate Change and Environment, 7. Migration, Mobility and Employment, 8. Science, Information Society and Space. The Africa-EU Partnership has steadily gained momentum, delivering solid results across a number of key areas. The African and European continents are working particularly closely in the area of peace and security to strengthen Africa s capacity to prevent and resolve crisis situations and maintain peace. Major programmes in agriculture and rural development, infrastructure and energy, environment, research and development and student mobility are being implemented. The two continents have also reinforced cooperation on global issues such as climate change and counter terrorism. Concrete results have been achieved both at the political and operational levels. The following sections provide a few meaningful examples of activities and outcomes in the main areas of the continent-to-continent partnership. This is by no means an exhaustive list of achievements but rather an illustration of progress achieved so far. It has also to be underlined that this level of Africa-EU cooperation overarches all other existing channels of cooperation at national, regional and local level. Obviously much remains to be done and the new African, European and global contexts may call for a review of priorities. However the experience so far is encouraging and must inform future initiatives. This in turn calls for a common effort to improve the information and communication around the Partnership and its value added. 6 Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership

Peace and Security Peace and Security are necessary conditions to ensure progress and sustainable development. Under the leadership of the African Union, Africa has intensified its efforts to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts. In this respect, the partnership on peace and security pursues three specific objectives: Enhancing the political dialogue on peace and security; Operationalizing the Africa Peace and Security Architecture (APSA), and; Ensuring predictable funding for African-led peace support operations. The key EU financial instrument to support the Peace and Security partnership is the African Peace Facility (APF). The APF was established at the request of African leaders at the African Union Maputo Summit in 2003. Through this instrument, the EU places itself at the forefront of the international support to the African Peace and Security Agenda. More concretely, EU efforts consist in providing political backing as well as predictable resources to African Peace Support Operations (PSOs), capacity-building activities as well as mediation activities at both continental and regional levels. A few deliverables and achievements Since 2004, the EU has committed more than 1 billion through the African Peace Facility for Africa-led peace support operations and the operationalization of the African Peace and Security Architecture. African-led Peace Support Operations Africa has often been adversely affected by severe political crises and violent conflicts. If focus is set on the year 2013 only, war and political unrest are shaking countries such as the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Somalia. Through the African Peace Facility (APF), the EU is currently supporting Peace support operations in three fragile African countries. Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership 7

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) For many years, Somalia has been exposed to civil war and waves of violence involving various groups fighting for power. In 2007, the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) was authorised by the Peace and Security Council of the African Union which aimed at restoring peace and security in the country. The EU has supported AMISOM continuously since the start of the operation. So far, the EU committed more than 440 million, mainly to cover for allowances, operational running costs, transportation, medical expenses, housing, fuel, and communication equipment. The force strength authorized by the UN Security Council is 17.731 uniformed personnel. Currently, around 17.000 troops, mainly from Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti, Kenya and Sierra Leone, are deployed in Southern and Central Somalia. In coordination with the Security Forces of the Federal Government of Somalia AMISOM seeks to reduce the threat posed by Al Shabaab armed opposition groups and to create the necessary security conditions for the provision of humanitarian assistance. The mission is also designed to support dialogue and reconciliation as well as to provide protection to the Federal Government of Somalia and to key infrastructures. Moreover, it supports the implementation of the Somali national security plans. AMISOM is thus considered to play an important role in creating the necessary security environment to support the political peace process in Somalia. The African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA) For the past year, Mali has been mired in a severe security, political, and humanitarian crisis. Islamist extremist groups overran Mali s three largest northern cities Kidal, Gao and Timbuktu. In March 2012 a coup d état had overthrew Mali s democratically elected government. A French military intervention succeeded in driving out the insurgents but troops are progressively withdrawn while security challenges remain. In response to the need for restoring security and territorial integrity in the country, The African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA), has been authorised by the United Nations Security Council in December 2012. AFISMA is led by the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). It will contribute to reduce the threat from armed terrorist and criminal groups and to protect the population. At the beginning of April 2013, over 6,000 African troops had been deployed in Mali. 8 Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership

The EU is committed to support and contribute to the stabilisation process in Mali at the political, developmental, security and humanitarian levels. It is in this context that the EU allocated 50 million from the APF to support the deployment of AFISMA through ECOWAS. Most of the funding will cover allowances for the troops and officers, while military equipment, weapons or ammunitions will not be covered by these funds. In addition, technical assistance will be provided to strengthen ECOWAS s capacities in the financial management of peace support operations such as AFISMA. Through the implementation of its Sahel strategy, the EU remains committed to support African efforts in terms of political and security cooperation which respond to the complex challenges in Mali and in the region. Strengthening capacities of African partners The EU supports the African Peace & Security Architecture (APSA) to enhance continental and regional capabilities for the prevention, management and resolution of conflict. APSA was set up by the AU and African Regional Economic Communities (RECs) as a structural, long-term response to the peace and security challenges on the African continent. EU-funded capacity building programmes aim at increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the African Union and of other African regional organizations. The African Stand-By Force (ASF) The ASF is envisaged to be a multidisciplinary force composed of military, civilian and police components. In total, five brigade-size standby forces will be regionally put in place in view of possible deployment in crisis situations. The troop contributing countries will be responsible for basic training while regional economic communities and mechanisms are to ensure the regional coordination of activities and training. The AUC is responsible for providing overall guidelines for training, developing standing operating procedures and certifying the forces. The ASF is scheduled to become fully operational by 2015. The European Union s African Peace and Security Architecture programme supports the building of capacity inter alia towards the operationalization of the ASF. Furthermore, the European Union s African Training Centres in Peace and Security programme supports the development of training capacity and policy for the ASF. In addition, the EU provides assistance to AMANI AFRICA II, a training and exercise cycle on the decision-making, management and deployment of the ASF. Support to activities dealing with strategic lift, communications and logistics is also envisaged which would respond to the long-term need to build a range of sustainable capabilities for the ASF. In this context, the EU is currently supporting an assessment of the progress towards operational readiness of the ASF. A number of these are currently being implemented focusing on each of the main APSA elements such as the African Stand-by Force and the Continental Early Warning System. For instance, the setup of Regional Economic Communities liaison offices to the African Union in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) substantially enhanced the dialogue between the AU and the RECs having a mandate in peace and security. The EU also continues to engage in dialogue with the AU Commission on a full range of cross-cutting issues of peace and security including: mediation, security sector reform (SSR), disarmament; demobilisation and reintegration (DDR), small arms & light weapons (SALW), the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), non-proliferation, counter-terrorism, drug control and crime prevention the AU border programme the African integrated maritime strategy (AIMS 2050) Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership 9

Democratic Governance and Human Rights The Joint Africa-EU Strategy identifies Democratic Governance and Human Rights as a priority for dialogue and joint actions. Africa and the EU share common values and believe that democracy can only be attained through the establishment of strong accountable institutions as well as an active and organised civil society. In Africa, this implies building a robust African Governance Architecture covering the whole spectrum of human rights. The partnership also covers cultural cooperation, whereby both continents promote cultural exchanges and the protection of cultural goods. A few deliverables and achievements The Africa-EU Platform for Dialogue on Governance and Human Rights In the run up to the third Africa-EU Summit (2010), Africa and the EU created a Platform for Dialogue on Governance and Human Rights to help developing shared governance agendas. This inclusive and informal space for dialogue reflects the EU-Africa partners commitment to enhance dialogue on Democratic Governance and Human Rights, with the objective of promoting these values and strengthening cooperation in this area for tangible improvements in the lives of African and European citizens. So far, the Platform has allowed the formulation of shared governance agendas and recommendations that will feed into political processes in the areas such as natural resources management as well as freedom of expression. The AU-EU Human Rights Dialogue The EU and the African Union maintain a regular Human Rights Dialogue since 2008. The latter allows the two institutions to update each other on regional initiatives, to discuss sensitive issues and to identify joint activities in certain areas. The last AU-EU Human Rights Dialogue took place in November 2012, in Addis Ababa, and focused on issues of common concern including racism; the right to development; death penalty; the rights of migrants; and the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Dialogue was also forward looking and identified themes to intensity our cooperation namely violence against women and freedom of association. Supporting the African Governance Architecture The African Governance Architecture (AGA) is the overall political and institutional framework for the promotion of democracy, governance and human rights in Africa. Establishing the AGA is about strengthening coordination amongst AU organs and institutions with a formal mandate in governance, democracy and human rights 10 Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership

as a measure of enhancing their capacity and optimizing their impact. An African Governance Platform has been launched to coordinate and monitor its implementation. The EU provides assistance through the African Union Support Programme to three organs of the AGA, namely the African Court of Human and People s Rights, the African Commission on Human and People s Rights and the Pan African Parliament with the objective to strengthen their capacities. An additional milestone in the process of embedding principles of democracy and rule of law at continental and national levels is the entry into force in February 2012 of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance. African Peer Review Mechanism Launched in 2003 by the African Union (AU), the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) is a mutually agreed instrument voluntarily acceded to by the Member States of the AU as an African self-monitoring mechanism. The objectives of the APRM are primarily to foster the adoption of policies, standards and practices that lead to political stability, high economic growth, sustainable development and accelerated sub regional and continental economic integration. Since 2009 the European Commission has contributed 2 million to the UNDP-managed Trust Fund to support the APRM Secretariat. Cultural cooperation Art at Work Culture and creativity are important tools to foster development. The European Commission in collaboration with the African Union and BOZAR Brussels launched a multi-disciplinary cultural project entitled Visionary Africa: Art at Work. From Ouagadougou in 2011, the project travelled to Addis-Ababa, Cairo, Harare, Bujumbura and Kampala. A joint EU-AU photo contest was also organised as a way to raise awareness of the Africa-EU partnership. The African Beauty photography competition appealed to professional Africa-based photographers. A selection of entries was exhibited during the January 2011 African Union Summit in Addis Ababa. In addition, in partnership with the AU Commission, the EU supported the trans-african photography project The Invisible Borders to showcase an exhibition at the AUC premises. The exhibition was also promoted through The African Union Border Programme. Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership 11

Trade, Regional integration and Infrastructure Europe and Africa have both chosen the route of regional integration to facilitate peace, stability and economic growth. Regional Integration, Trade and Investment are vectors of economic stability and inclusive and sustainable growth. Well integrated regional markets with efficient infrastructure will attract investment and facilitate business, enhance employment creation and revenues as well as enhance access to improved quality goods and services. Support to African A few deliverables and achievements Regional Integration, Trade and Investment Exchange of experiences on regional integration Africa and the EU are actively engaged in dialogue on their respective experiences in the area of economic regional integration and the creation and governance of regional common markets, as well as on Africa s integration into the global economy. Joint experience sharing workshops have already addressed issues related to the challenge of integrating several sovereign States economies into a common market, reaching out to related issues such as technical standards and norms, competition laws and enforcement, and public procurement. These aim to help the African Union Commission, African regional organizations and their respective Member States in their efforts to boost intra-african trade, a complementary action to the constitution of the Continental Free Trade Area. Customs and trade facilitation Efficient customs administrations and trade facilitation reforms are important contributors to successful regional integration. Resources for technical assistance to Africa in the area of customs cooperation and trade facilitation are made available identified through the Joint Africa- EU Strategic Partnership and also made available under the umbrella of EU Aid for Trade continental or regional activities. Trade facilitation measures have the potential to bring great benefits for governments, the private sector and citizens are expected to arise in terms of GDP growth and increased intra African trade, particularly in manufactured goods. The first AU-EU Forum on customs and trade facilitation took place in December 2012. Quality Infrastructure A 15 million programme in the area of technical barriers to trade became operational in March 2013. It will improve the competitiveness and diversification of African agriculture and industry by strengthening African capacities in the area of rules, standards and quality control. Boosting productive capacities and investment climate Africa recognizes the increasing importance of attracting investments, which is vital in advancing productive capacity, employment creation and economic transformation. The EU, in close cooperation with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), is therefore supporting the African Union in the implementation of the Accelerated Industrial Development of Africa (AIDA) initiative. This includes a Regional Programme for Investment Promotion in Africa offering details of some 7000 domestic and foreign companies active in 19 African countries. In line with the Partnership priority to improve the investment climate in Africa, the EU is supporting a study on the elaboration of a Pan-African Investment Code. The latter will provide common guidelines to simplify investment-related legislation on the basis of existing best practices at national and regional levels in Africa. 12 Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership

Moreover, the EU s support to African governance of natural resources, in particular minerals, will help linking extractive industries to productive value chains, increase revenue transparency and enhance geological knowledge and skills, in accordance with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and the African Mining Vision. Statistics A common concern of African policy makers, investors and donors is the lack of consistent, reliable, and timely information on the economic, political and social development on the continent. To address this challenge, the services of the European and the African Commission have cooperated to produce and disseminate harmonised statistics in Africa. A good example is the joint publication of the AU-EU Statistical Yearbook. Infrastructure The development of infrastructure is a crucial precondition for regional integration. Therefore, the two Unions cooperate and conduct dialogue to increase European and African investment in infrastructure and related services. The Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa The EU provides assistance to the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA). This continentwide program contributes to the development of regional and continental infrastructure in transport, energy, transboundary water and ICT sectors. It responds to the significant deficit of African infrastructure which hampers the economic and social development on the continent. The Africa-EU Infrastructure Trust Fund The Africa-EU Infrastructure Trust Fund (AITF) is an example of the EU s commitment to attract investors from the private sector to fund common projects. It blends grants from the EU with loans from other investors for projects in the area of infrastructure. To date, AITF has awarded over 80 grants to infrastructure projects that represent a total value of over 6.5 billion in the investment phase. Each Euro of AITF grant funding is estimated to generate 12 in total investments. Recent examples include the Geothermal Risk Mitigation Facility in Central and East Africa, the Lake Victoria Water and Sanitation projects in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda, the CLSG Power Interconnector in Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea as well as the Kampala bypass in Uganda. Moreover, in the field of transport, Africa and the EU pursue interconnectivity across regions by promoting safe trans-boundary transport corridors and harmonized transport policies. Finally, the aim of the project Support to transport sector development ( 4Mio) is to contribute to Africa wide capacity to regulate, organize, promote and finance improved inter regional and continental transport infrastructure and services through interconnectivity across regions by promoting safe trans-boundary transport corridors and harmonized transport policies. Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership 13

The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) is an initiative jointly put in place by the African Union Commission and the New Partnership for Africa s Development (NEPAD) Agency to achieve agricultural-led development in Africa. The EU is contributing to a multi-donor trust fund which aims at enabling these AU institutions to lead the CAADP process in close coordination with the regional economic communities. The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service The EU makes its satellite technology available to support the air transport sector in Africa. More than 18 million have been committed towards the extension of the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) to Africa. EGNOS is a satellite system that increases the accuracy of the GPS signal. Its services will unlock rural areas by opening small rural airports to safe navigation, and have many potentialities in other sectors such as rail and inland water transport, cartography, cadastre, tracking of containers, energy and mining. The Africa-EU Strategic Partnership on Water Affairs and Sanitation The Africa-EU Strategic Partnership on Water Affairs and Sanitation aims at improving the management of water resources in Africa. Cooperation focuses on facilitating access to water supply and sanitation and on enhancing policy dialogue at continental level. For instance, the project Support to the AUC and the African Ministers Council on Water (AMCOW) on trans-boundary water resources management contributes to strengthen continental policy in this sector. Agriculture and sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures In Africa, the livelihoods of about 60 % of the population depend on agriculture. And yet, on the continent, this crucial sector is strewn with various pitfalls such as the lack of access to land and resources, poor access to markets, degradation of natural resources as well as low investment in agricultural research, training and extension services. The implementation at national level shows significant achievements. These include the strengthened capacity of AU Member States to develop and implement CAADPbased Agriculture and Food Security Investment Plans as well as to coordinate policy development and harmonisation for effective design and implementation of country policies, strategies and plans. Apart from that, the funding and alignment to country agricultural development priorities by development partners has been increased while strong and credible partnerships for increased investments in agriculture have been created. Sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures Furthermore, both Unions are joining forces to strengthen capacities and develop common principles in the area of sanitary and phyto-sanitary rules, standards and quality control at the regional and pan-african level. These aspects are of key importance to produce healthy plants and livestock, ensure consumers health and support regional trade and export of agricultural and fishery products to world markets. A reference framework and guidelines for harmonisation of the management of food hygiene was adopted in January 2011 by the Summit of African Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa. The framework is currently being domesticated and applied by African Regional Economic Communities. Cooperation on sustainable agriculture The EU has also contributed to enhance the role of sustainable agriculture in Africa through workshops and consultations. The EU thus promotes agricultural practices and technologies which are environmentally sustainable due to efficient use of natural resources and which raise and diversify rural incomes. Key areas in this regard are integrated pest management, soil and water conservation methods, agro-ecological approaches and agro-forestry. Moreover, the development of comprehensive value chain approaches, for instance through geographical indications, will help improving income and reducing vulnerability for producers, particularly smallholder farmers. 14 Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership

The Millennium Development Goals The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Partnership constitutes a platform for continent-to-continent policy dialogue, cooperation and joint action with a view to achieving the MDGs in all African countries. To reinforce on-going development cooperation efforts, President Barroso announced in September 2010 a Millennium Development Goals initiative of 1 billion Euros which focuses on those African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries that have designed projects of high quality to achieve results in the areas where progress is most needed: hunger, water and sanitation, maternal health and child mortality. A few deliverables and achievements The EU continues to enhance food security by supporting African agricultural programmes and sectors through technical guidance and financial support. This assistance helps to strengthen African agricultural policies and institutions, such as farmer s organisations and cotton producers, to gear efforts towards the needs of the poor thereby contributing to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger (MDG1*). 1 In the area of health, the EU has supported the strengthening of pharmaceutical systems and improved the access to quality medicines and vaccines in order to reduce child mortality in many African countries (MDG 4***). 2 Moreover, the EU provided financial assistance to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation which prevents premature deaths through its vaccination programme. The EU is also contributing to the Global Fund to combat AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (MDG 6****). Within this framework the EU has provided antiretroviral combination therapy to people with HIV infection and access to insecticide-treated nets. Africa and the EU are joining efforts in the field of education by supporting the Association for the Development of Education in Africa. This forum for policy dialogue between governments and development agencies allows for sharing experience and lessons learnt in order to identify best practices and innovative policies in the African education sector. Apart from that, the EU has contributed to the Education for All Fast Track Initiative Fund which aims to achieve a free, universal primary education in low-income countries (MDG 2**). 4 * MDG 1: Eradicating extreme poverty and hunger ** MDG 2: Achieving universal primary education *** MDG 4: Reducing child mortality **** MDG 6: Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership 15

Energy A major challenge of the 21 st century for both Africa and Europe is to ensure a reliable energy supply meeting our needs. Under the framework of their cooperation, Africa and Europe therefore share their know-how, connect their resources, adjust their common interests and couple their policies to deal with energy challenges hand in hand. More specifically, the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP) seeks to achieve improved access to reliable, secure, affordable, cost-effective, climate-friendly and sustainable energy services for both continents, with a special focus on achieving the MDGs in Africa. A few deliverables and achievements Endorsement of the High-level Declaration on energy-related political targets At the occasion of the First High-level meeting of the Partnership (Vienna 14-15 September 2010), over 300 participants including ministers, ambassadors, commissioners, academics, business leaders and members of the civil society from across Africa and Europe endorsed the High-level Meeting Declaration containing Political Targets to be achieved by 2020. Such targets set by the Declaration are described as follows: Bringing access to modern and sustainable energy services to at least an additional 100 million Africans; Building 10,000 MW of new hydropower facilities, at least 5,000 MW of wind power capacity, and 500 MW of all forms of solar energy capacity, as well as tripling the capacity of other renewables; Improving energy efficiency in Africa in all sectors; Increasing electricity interconnections both within Africa and between Africa and the EU; doubling the use of natural gas in Africa, as well as doubling African gas exports to Europe by building natural gas infrastructure The AEEP targets have also been instrumental on the global level in shaping the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative (SE4ALL), launched by the UN in 2012. To follow progress on these targets, the Partnership is undertaking a continuous monitoring and reporting exercise that tracks achievements against the baseline year of 2010 when the objectives were set. The Second High-Level Meeting is foreseen to take place in late 2013 ahead of the 4 th EU-Africa Summit. At this occasion, results of the partnership are to be presented and the new AEEP 2030 targets are expected to be adopted to enable the launch of a new set of activities. Moreover, synergies and efficiency of energy cooperation and project preparation will be discussed. AEEP stakeholder involvement Forging partnerships at various levels The AEEP has started a unique process of facilitating partnerships between African and European business actors, academia, and NGOs. During the First AEEP Stakeholder Forum in 2012 (Cape Town, South Africa), the active inclusion and engagement of these stakeholders groups has started at continental and regional level. The Forum aimed at assessing progress on the AEEP 2020 targets in the fields of renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy access as well as energy security. The Forum brought together over 250 representatives from government, civil society, research and the private sector, including financial institutions, to explore, among other issues, how to enhance synergies among different stakeholder groups and address barriers to increased investment and development assistance in the energy sector. Nine thematic parallel sessions and several high level plenary panels tackled issues ranging from large-scale energy infrastructure and private sector finance for renewable energy in Africa to bioenergy for the 21 st century. Initiatives at the continental level have subsequently pro- 16 Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership

Africa-EU Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme (RECP) Since its launch at the High-Level Meeting in Vienna in 2010, the Africa-EU Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme (RECP) has been supporting African governments and regional organisations to develop their renewable energy markets. Initiatives at the regional level in West Africa subsequently provided a basis for concrete actions at the national level. With support from the RECP, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency was able to develop a Regional Renewable Energy Policy. This policy was adopted in 2012 by ECOWAS Ministers and is now translated into national policies. Once this new framework is established in various ECOWAS countries, market actors will gain more confidence thanks to stable, political, regulatory, and legal conditions a necessity for renewable energy market development and increased investment into the renewable energy sector. RECP developing Regional Renewable Energy Policy, e.g. in ECOWAS National Policies developed, increasing confidence for private sector actors Increased renewable energy investments in countries In addition to these policy advisory services provided to African governments, activities in the area of vocational training and higher education will be launched in order to support the development of the next generation of energy professionals in Africa. vided a basis for concrete actions at the national level. At the Uganda Energy Business Dialogue, for example, the AEEP has facilitated business partnerships during a local event bringing together public and private sector actors. Not only have these groups advanced on their cooperation in the energy sector, but, importantly, various business-to-business links have been established. Similar national events are scheduled for 2013 for example in Djibouti and Ghana. Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership 17

Climate change and Environment Climate change is a global issue of serious concern for all countries, in particular Least Developed and other vulnerable developing countries and regions that are expected to be the most adversely hit. Africa will be mainly affected in terms of food security, sustainable water supply and extreme weather phenomena such as floods, droughts and desertification. In addressing the issues of climate change and environment, Africa and the EU engaged in a partnership providing for dialogue, cooperation and exchange on concrete actions. This forum allows for the development of a shared Africa-EU vision, with close links to the Global Climate Change Alliance 1. The partnership two overarching priority actions are: Building a common agenda on climate change policies and cooperation; Addressing land degradation and increasing aridity, including through the Great Green Wall for the Sahel and Sahara Initiative. Among priority areas covered under the partnership, progress achieved includes following aspects: through analytical studies, consultative workshops and support for the development of a common African position on climate issues. The EU is supporting this initiative with an amount of 8 million and therefore assists its African partners in addressing climate change and environment challenges. More particularly, Clim-Dev Africa facilitates the development of policies, practices, services, observation networks and communication with African stakeholders. EU support allowed for the set-up of the African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) in 2012. ACPC aspires to be a hub for demand-led knowledge generation on climate change in Africa. Most of its activities focus on advocacy services, capacity development, technical cooperation and knowledge sharing. Initiatives from the ACPC and the AUC include training programmes for African Climate Change and desertification negotiators, training programmes on sustainable development for the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), dissemination of policy recommendations and the creation of a Fellowship Programme to support subregional work programmes on climate change. Enhanced political dialogue and cooperation, mainly under the EU Global Climate Change Alliance Reinforcement of African Negotiators capaci ties in international climate negotiations Sustainable land management, fight against desertification and avoiding deforestation. A few deliverables and achievements Clim-Dev Africa Clim-Dev Africa is a joint initiative of the African Development Bank, the Commission of the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. It aims at wide dissemination of accurate climate information to support policy making in Africa, with a view to mainstreaming climate change into development plans on the continent. Clim-Dev also facilitates Africa s contribution to the negotiation process on the post-2012 climate agreement 1 The Global Climate Change Alliance is a programme through which the European Union and the most vulnerable Developing Countries are working together to tackle climate change). 18 Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership

Great Green Wall for the Sahara and the Sahel Initiative This initiative is an unprecedented Africa-led project focusing on the Saharan and Sahelian dry land ecosystems and the reduction of local communities vulnerability to climate change, climate variability, land degradation and drought. The first step towards a more integrated landscape approach to the Great Green Wall concept was set with the adoption of a harmonized strategy at the AU Summit in January 2013 with a view to: improving the living conditions of populations in African arid zones and reducing their vulnerability to climate change, climate variability and drought Improving the health of ecosystems in the arid zones of Africa and their resilience to climate change, climate variability and drought Mobilizing resources for the implementation of the Great Green Wall Initiative through the establishment of efficient partnerships between international and national actors. In collaboration with the EU, the United Nations Organization for Food and Agriculture (FAO) and the Global Mechanism of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (GM-UNCCD), the African Union Commission works with 13 African countries** on the development of national actions plans and project portfolios at country and cross-border levels. Enhancing disaster management The EU, the ACP Group and the AUC are working on the formulation of a comprehensive disaster resilience programme for African sub-regions, countries and communities. The programme will support the implementation of the African Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Plan of Action and promote a strong intra-regional approach to DRR. The idea behind is to better understand risks for effective early warnings and more informed decision-making on recovery, reconstruction and ultimately on future development planning and financing. Meanwhile, all aspects of disaster risk management will be taken into account, namely risk assessment, prevention, preparedness and mitigation. ** Partner countries are Algeria, Burkina Faso, Chad, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal and the Sudan. Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership 19

Migration, Mobility and Employment Migration, mobility and employment are elements that can play an important role in development if addressed in a balanced and comprehensive way. This partnership therefore focusses on creating more and better jobs for Africa, on facilitating mobility and free movement of people in Africa and the EU. At the same time, it aims at better managing legal migration and refugee flows, on the conditions of and access to employment while finding concrete solutions to problems posed by irregular migration. data on South-South migration flows between ACP 1 countries. These data serve to inform migrants, civil society and policy-makers as well as to enhance research capacities in ACP countries for improving the situation of migrants and for strengthening the migration-development nexus. It will also help to design policies which consider migration as an element of development in twelve ACP pilot countries of which 9 are in Africa 2. A few deliverables and achievements The African Institute for Remittances (AIR) The AIR was created under the leadership of the AU in close coordination with the European Commission, the Word Bank, the African Development Bank and the International Organisation for Migration. Its main purpose is to strengthen capacities of African governments, banks, remittance senders and recipients enabling them to make better use of remittances as development tools for poverty reduction. This will result in a more efficient and safer remittances transfer system. The Observatory on Migration The Observatory on Migration has been established to collect, analyse and produce reliable and harmonized The Nyerere Programme This initiative aims at contributing to the generation and retention of high-level African human resources with Masters and PhD degrees in key areas relevant to 1 ACP : Africa, Caribbean and Pacific 2 Angola, Cameroon, DR Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Nigeria, Senegal, Lesotho and Tanzania 20 Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership

Africa s social and economic development by enhancing academic and student mobility within Africa and contribute to capacity-building. Following two calls for Intra-Africa mobility, 8 university networks involving 67 partners from 29 African countries were selected and are in the process of organizing academic mobility across the continent. The third call for applications was launched in February 2013. These calls are managed by the Education, Audio-visual and Culture Executive Agency of the EU whereas the AUC will take over for the next phases of the mobility scheme. The African Higher Education Harmonization and Tuning initiative The objective of this initiative is to further strengthen the cooperation between the EU and African Higher Education Areas, to address the key features of the African Higher Education Harmonisation Strategy and to enable closer ties between higher education policy makers. Acknowledging that the African Union Commission has embarked on a process of promoting quality assurance and has developed a framework for harmonization of higher education programmes in Africa, the EU is sharing its experience of Tuning with its African partners. The potential contribution of the Tuning Educational Structures and Programmes methodology as an instrument for implementing parts of the African harmonization agenda was recognized by stakeholders on both continents and a pilot initiative involving 60 universities across Africa in 5 subject areas has just been com pleted. Work is now underway to consolidate and validate the outcomes and to prepare for a full scale initiative in 2014. The Pan-African University: An African network of high-level academic institutions The Pan-African University (PAU) has been launched in 2010 as a network of African universities. Five specialized regional hubs are being established with the support of various partners. The objective of the PAU is to develop and retain world-class human resources in areas essential to Africa s development, by stimulating fundamental and applied research in those key areas. Besides, it also seeks to support institutional capacity-building to enhance global competitiveness of African higher education institutions. The PAU is structured as a network of high-quality African universities. Five regional thematic networks will be established, each concentrating and specialising on specific academic domains, and coordinated by a regional hub. Each region will host one thematic hub, whereas each hub will be linked to satellite campuses located in various African countries. Eventually, the Pan African University will include up to 55 African institutions. The EU welcomes initiatives such as the PAU and is fostering student mobility and twinning partnerships among higher education institutions in Europe and Africa through programmes such as Erasmus Mundus, Tempus and EDULINK. Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership 21

Science, Information Society and Space Over the past few years, scientific research, technology and innovation have become key transformational forces. Meanwhile, the scientific and digital divides in Africa are hindering the continent s full participation in today s globalized knowledge society. Actions under this partnership aim at leveraging faster inclusive and sustainable economic growth and social development in Africa. The resulting knowledge-generating economy will help address more efficiently the major common problems and global challenges, and will be able to compete more effectively. A few deliverables and achievements The Africa-EU High Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation Scientific and technological cooperation, coordination and political dialogue within this partnership has been reinforced, as evidenced by the first Africa-EU High Level Policy Dialogue on Science, Technology and Innovation held in Addis Ababa on 10-11 October 2011. Currently underway is the development of a multiannual roadmap of Africa-EU cooperation on science, technology and innovation; a study is being undertaken to map best-practice on regional and multi-country cooperative STI initiatives and identify effective financial mechanisms. Research Programmes The African Union Research Grants Programme, part of the ACP Research for Sustainable Development Program, was successfully launched to support collaborative research, bringing together researchers from different African countries and in few cases also Europe to implement the priorities of the African Union Science & Technology policy. The EU contribution of 14 million enabled the African Union Commission to design and launch two successive 7 million Calls for Proposals to support research in post-harvest agriculture; renewable and sustainable energy, water and sanitation. Twenty lead institutions benefited from this programme. A similar programme, the ACP Science & Technology programme ( 23 million), is managed by the ACP Secretariat. Under this programme, a Call for Proposals in the areas of agriculture, food security as well as energy access and efficiency was launched. Of all regions outside the EU benefitting from the EU s Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7) Africa ranks first in terms of participation. FP 7 has funded some 400 cooperative research projects, with almost 1000 participants from 42 African countries. In addition, Marie Curie fellowships were offered to some 400 African and European fellows at research institutions in both continents. The European Research Council allocated 5 highly competitive grants to African researchers. Two platforms funded by the seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7) are bringing together a large number of European and African participants: ERAfrica, the first initiative to jointly fund collaborative research projects in the areas of renewable energy, interfacing challenges and idea driven research; CAAST-Net Plus, the Network for the Coordination and Advancement of Sub- Saharan Africa-EU Science & Technology Cooperation aiming at reinforcing cooperation on science technology between Africa and Europe to help both regions to better tackle global challenges of health, food security and climate change 22 Two Unions, One Vision - The Africa-EU Partnership