Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-04-11-Speech-2-135"
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"en.20000411.6.2-135"2
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"Mr President, the holding of the summit was in itself a success achieved after considerable difficulties. These difficulties – mostly of a political character – remain and need to be tackled by Africa and Europe, both separately and jointly. The summit was the first encounter at the highest political level between Africa and the countries of the EU. It will add a new strategic and global dimension to the existing relationship between Africa and Europe and will bring that relationship to the same level as that we already have with Asia and Latin America.
The EU already has a deep and broad relationship with Africa, notably in the field of development, where that relationship is unique and backed up by substantial finance. We are spending development assistance money at the level of EUR 2.5 bn per year. For our part, we have done what we should do and more if we look at the HIPC initiative to help the highly-indebted poor countries. Here the EU is still waiting for a number of G7 countries to play their part.
We want to see the African countries as equal partners in the 21st century – the first century they are entering as independent states. The EU has a comparative advantage in regional integration that Africa can benefit from, and we will ensure it benefits from it in the coming years, when the organisation of regional economic cooperation will dominate the agenda in Africa.
The summit provided an opportunity for useful discussions on debt and other bilateral problems. It also provided an opportunity to underline the need for Africans to participate actively in the WTO process and to seek support for the Community's approach. It was possible for the EU to tackle politically sensitive issues, such as good governance and human rights, with African leaders at the summit. Other difficult questions, such as the question of the return of cultural goods, were also discussed.
The declaration and plan of action adopted at the summit take account of the sensitivities on both sides. Internationally recognised principles, in particular human rights, are respected and clearly reflected in the declaration. This is important to note in view also of the very few statements made during the summit that deviated somewhat from this general consensus about the basic principles that we and others take for granted.
It is regrettable that the civil society forum could not take place in Cairo but representatives of the forum were received in Cairo in the margins of the summit. The text adopted in Lisbon by the forum was widely distributed by the Algerian and Portuguese presidencies.
The follow-up to the summit should enable the EU to round off its existing relationship with Africa with a high-level relationship covering, in particular, a continental approach to political and security questions as well as economic issues.
The Commission will endeavour to make a success of the meetings of the bi-regional group to be held at senior official level. The ministerial-level meeting to be held between summits should concentrate on questions which concern the entire continent, meaning a continental approach must be taken to political and security questions and questions which are not covered by the mechanisms set up under the existing ACP-EU, Mediterranean and South Africa agreements. Our view is that the follow-up to the summit should wherever possible be pursued through existing mechanisms.
The background is that we already have a credible working relationship. With the new EU-ACP Convention being successfully concluded a few months ago and with the EU-South Africa cooperation agreement now being implemented as planned, we have two very important additions to the MEDA cooperation and the Barcelona process. This means that we have not only the perspective of this Cairo summit but also a well-established basis to continue, widen and improve our daily work."@en1
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