Mondorf-les-Bains, Luxembourg, 28 April 2014
Your Excellency, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Mr. Jean ASSELBORN,
Excellencies, African Ambassadors Accredited to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I feel extremely honoured to be accorded the priviledge of addressing this august meeting.
Let me start by expressing on behalf of my colleagues, indeed on my own behalf our profound thanks and gratitude to you Excellency, Mr. Minister for your kind invitation to attend this annual luncheon in order to exchange views on cooperation between Africa and European Union. We would like to seize this opportunity through you to pay homage to His Royal Highness the Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, for demonstrating admirable wisdom and compassion in guiding the progressive, moderate, and balanced foreign policy of Luxembourg.
Luxembourg has a well established reputation as a staunch supporter of cooperation amongst states and a defender of a rules-based multilateral system. It is one of six founding members of the European Union, and plays host to several European institutions including the Secretariat-General of the European Parliament, the European Court of Justice and the European Investment Bank. Luxembourg currently serves as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the period 2013-14.
Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen,
We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and express our appreciation for Luxembourg’s excellent example in consistently meeting the UN’s 0.7 percent of GNI long-term target for Official Development Assistance (ODA) contributions. Last year Luxembourg allocated more than 1 percent of its Gross National Income (around 430 million USD) to Official Development Assistance, which made it among the five highest donors of the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The exceptional support of Luxembourg in the social sectors (health, education, local development, water and sanitation) in particular, has contributed to improving the lives of millions of people across Africa. We salute this concrete demonstration of your commitment to contributing to the fight against poverty, underdevelopment, disease and ignorance on the African continent.
We would also like to congratulate Luxembourg for its decision to commit EUR 7.5 million (US$10.1 million) to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for 2014-2016, making it one of the biggest donors on a per capita basis. This commitment will effectively unlock an additional US$4 million in contributions from the United States and the United Kingdom, which have geared their own contributions to maximise what is donated by other countries. The new cash injection by Luxembourg will assure access to treatment for HIV and TB and ensure that more families sleep under mosquito nets. It will contribute significantly to saving and dramatically improving the lives of millions of people in Africa.
Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our luncheon meeting takes place barely a month after the 4th EU-Africa summit, which was held just across the border in Brussels on 2-3 April 2014. Held under the theme ‘People, Prosperity and Security’, the Brussels summit can be considered a tremendous success as it brought together a total of 90 High-Level delegations, including 40 Heads of State and Government from Africa and 20 from Europe, the highest number since the inaugural summit in Cairo fourteen years ago. The summit adopted a Declaration and a Roadmap 2014-2017, which outline a strategic vision and sets out priorities and actions to be implemented over the next three years. These priorities are Peace and Security; Democracy, Good Governance and Human Rights; Human Development; Sustainable and Inclusive Development, Growth and Continental Integration; and Global and Emerging Issues. The Summit also adopted a separate Declaration on Migration and Mobility, which stressed the need to facilitate mobility and better manage legal migration. The summit reaffirmed the objectives set out in the Joint Africa-EU Strategy adopted at the Lisbon Summit of 2007 and the 2010 Tripoli Summit, in particular the need to preserve a partnership of equals based on people-centred development.
Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The inter-dependence of Africa and Europe can never be over-emphasised. The summit represented an opportune moment to reposition this relationship in line with the ever-changing global environment and the expectations of both regions. In the context of unprecedented economic growth in Africa and economic decline in Europe, the summit afforded African and European leaders the opportunity to exchange views in order to strengthen political and socio-economic cooperation.
Since the Tripoli Summit in 2010, we have observed how the euro zone economic crisis has induced an unprecedented recession across the common market, impacting negatively on the global economic recovery. In spite of Africa’s historical connection with Europe, the impact of the crisis has been varied across the continent’s regions with many African economies showing resilience in the face of this crisis. On the other hand, Africa has experienced a staggering positive growth momentum in recent decades, registering previously unheard of levels of economic growth. The position of Africa as the new frontier of growth is illustrated by the fact that eight of the fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa. These developments take place at a time when Africa is resolutely pursuing its plan of continental economic integration.
Our integration agenda places emphasis on the regional economic communities, which are the building blocks towards the establishment of a Common African Market. It is for this reason that we believe that our trading relations with our partners, including the EU, should support and foster Africa’s development and growth trajectory, contributing to productive employment and prosperity for all. Africa wants to set a new trade agenda based on partnership and mutual benefit. The continent is taking tentative, yet determined measures to develop infrastructure and is embarking on an industrialisation programme that will see Africa achieving its ambition of producing and exporting value-added goods. We are determined to transform African economies from supplier to producer economies. In this regard, the leaders at the Brussels summit agreed that faster industrialisation and modernisation of the enterprise sector is essential for Africa to reach middle income status.
We believe that our trading relations with our partners, including the EU, should support and foster Africa’s development and growth trajectory, contributing to prosperity agriculture, and manufacturing sectors. Consistent with this new paradigm, we are of the firm view that the economic partnership agreements with the EU should be developmental in nature and reinforce the process of economic integration currently underway in Africa. As we enter a critical phase in the EPA negotiations we shall rely on your support Mr. Minister to ensure a balanced and fair outcome that does not adversely affect African economies. In this regard, it is heartening to note that at the summit European leaders committed to support intra-African trade and Africa’s regional integration efforts. This is a positive signal.
Your Excellency, Ladies and Gentlemen,
There is no doubt that the summit has paved the way for closer, stronger cooperation that will benefit the people of Africa and Europe. In this regard, Summit underlined the importance of the EU and Africa to work together within the framework of a post-2015 development agenda. As the countdown to final year of the Millennium Development Goals fast approaches, we should speed up the finalisation of a post-2015 development agenda that integrates the three dimensions of Sustainable Development namely, inclusive economic growth and development including social development and environmental sustainability, in a balanced manner. In the context of our discussion on the post-2015 development agenda and climate change we should reaffirm our commitment to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
Excellency, a Ladies and Gentlemen,
We both recognise the importance of promoting a global approach on migration management. We should strive for the improvement of migration conditions and the facilitation of free movement of persons. Migration is linked to employment and attention should be given to the multi-dimensional aspects of migration in order to identify appropriate ways and means to maximise its development benefits and minimise its negative effects. Jointly, we should address the root causes of migration and agree on complementary measures in this regard.
On Peace and Security we would like to express our profound appreciation for the commitment made by Europe to provide continued support for peace operations in Africa, through the African Peace Facility. This assistance will be vital in supporting the AU Heads of States and Governments’ decision to “Silence the Guns by 2020”, as decided in their solemn declaration during the 50th anniversary celebrations of African unity in May 2013. Africa is determined to move beyond conflict resolution and focus on development and its integration agenda, which will also target the drivers of conflict. As a member of the UN Security Council and the Peacebuilding Commission, we applaud your role in reinforcing support for peace operations in Africa, including AFISMA in Mali, the Intervention Brigade in the East of DRC, and MINUSCA in the Central African Republic.
Concerning our joint programmes, we need to critically assess institutional difficulties that have hindered the implementation of the Joint Strategy and its previous Plans of Action, and find innovative ways for revitalising the cooperation. To achieve this two things need to be done: (1) An objective bilan and assessment of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy and the eight thematic partnerships. This will highlight what the Africa –EU partnership has achieved so far and what concrete steps should be taken to move forward towards an effective political dialogue and achieve tangible results. (2) A new institutional architecture that will govern the implementation of the roadmap 2014-2017.
Regular dialogue at high level and at ministerial, focusing on the keys priorities and flagship projects from the Roadmap would be essential to achieve tangible results. Overall it would be particularly important to reactivate the Joint Troika Meetings and Sectoral Ministerial Meetings on the one hand; as well as the Joint Expert/Senior Officials Meetings and to agree on their periodicity, on the other hand.
The pledge made by the EU to allocate more than 28 billion Euros for development assistance to Africa over the period 2014-2020, in addition to bilateral cooperation from the EU Member States, in particular, the amount of 844 million Euros to be mobilised for the new Pan-African Programme is welcomed. There is no doubt that this support in addition to the African contribution will move the partnership forward. Caution should be exercised to ensure that the conditionalities attached to the disbursement of these funds do not undermine the trust and confidence we are building.
In conclusion, and on behalf of the African Ambassadors accredited to Luxembourg, I would like to thank you most sincerely, Mr. Minister for the excellent cooperation we enjoy collectively and severally from you personally, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the entire government of Luxembourg. You can be assured that we shall work collaboratively with you to ensure the success of the Brussels Plan of Action and our various bilateral cooperation programmes.
I thank you for your kind attention.
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