Addis Ababa, 12 October 2017 – A joint retreat of the African Union Commission and the Permanent Representatives’ Committee kicked off at the African Union headquarters, in preparation for the 5th African Union (AU)- European Union (EU) summit to be held in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire on 29 and 30 November 2017. Addressing the opening of the meeting on behalf of the AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat, AUC Deputy Chairperson , Kwesi Quartey observed that the meeting was an opportunity to harmonize the African Position and agree on concrete, implementable joint projects between AU and EU, with clear financing structures and robust monitoring and evaluation tools that allow for better management of joint projects. This, he noted, is part of the ongoing consultations and engagements with the European Union ahead of the 5th AU-EU Summit.

The meeting comes at a time the African Union is embarking on reforms seeking to review and reflect on its strategic partnerships, to make them more relevant and responsive to the needs of the African citizenry. The two-day retreat will deliberate on the draft joint priority projects for 2018 – 2023 and the draft declaration to be presented at the AU-EU summit. The African Union is looking to strengthen cooperation and synergy with the European Union on areas under three Joint Priority Projects; namely:
- Investing in People- Education, Science and Technology, and Skills Development;
- Resilience, Peace, Security and Governance, and
- Mobilizing Investments for African Structural Transformation

The Deputy Chairperson indicated that the theme of the 5th African Union-European Union Summit focuses on Investment in Youth for Accelerated Inclusive growth and sustainable development and that it is timely, particularly as the African Union implement the African Union theme of the year on “Harnessing the demographic dividend through investments in the youth”. He stated “the African Union has recognized the urgent need to improve the current state of Africa’s youth, any action (or inaction) taken today, with regard to youth development and empowerment, will have a huge impact on Africa’s future prospects.”

The African Union has emphasized on the urgent and vital need to improve the current state of Africa’s youth for increased opportunities, employment, education and relevant skills, as well as access to capital and information as part of the AU fight against discrimination and vulnerability to diseases and violence-particularly gender-based violence and armed conflicts.

At the same time, the Deputy Chairperson urged all member states to speak in “one voice” at the upcoming summit adding that the Commission was keen to have the full participation and engagement of all its 55 member states.

In her opening remarks Ambassador Fatoumata Kaba Sidibe, Chairperson of the Permanent Representatives’ Committee, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Guinea to the African Union, expressed her appreciation to the members of the PRC for the commitment in the preparation of the upcoming AU-EU summit. She urged the members put African development at the heart of the deliberations at the summit and ensure the joint priority projects which are well resource to enable us reach the goal of the Africa we want.

Read speech: https://au.int/en/speeches/20171012/statement-he-mr-moussa-faki-mahamat-...

Note to Editors

The African Union (AU- European Union (EU) Strategic Partnership is the formal channel through which the European Union and the African continent work together. It is based on the Joint Africa-Europe Strategy adopted by Heads of State and Government at the second EU-Africa Summit in 2007. The current Roadmap 2014-2017 sets out concrete targets within 5 priority areas of cooperation agreed at the 4th EU-Africa Summit in 2014.

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