Europe partnership needed to industrialise Africa – AU Commission Chair

Edmund Smith-Asante Africa Apr - 07 - 2014 , 17:11 6 minutes read

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mrs Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini Zuma, has urged Europe to partner Africa in an industrialisation drive, so it contributes meaningfully to the world’s economy.

Africa, she said, was also in dire need of skills development, in view of its growing young population who needed training in order to contribute to the development of Africa and Europe.

“With a growing and young population, Africa needs a skilled revolution and to scale up investments requires research technology and innovation,” she said.

Courting Europe in her welcome address on April 2, 2014 at the 4th EU-Africa Summit in Brussels, Mrs Dlamini Zuma, said while Africa’s plan of industrialisation – the African Industrial Development Plan (AIDP) looked at agriculture as one of the drivers of industrialisation, a partnership with Europe would result in a win for everyone.

“So we need to look at both growing but also processing our agricultural products. But because we still have a lot more land than you as our partners here, we can work together, so that Africa is food secure but also doesn’t only feed Africa, but also can contribute to the world, including Europe,” she said.

The Need for Industrialisation and Skills Development

The AU Commission Chairperson also indicated that Africa was looking at transformative policies that would enable it add value to its material resources, “so that we can grow in trade in manufactured goods, in addition to the raw materials that we are already exporting.”

Likening the challenges Africa faced to hills that must be climbed, she said the pan African priorities were captured by the African Agenda 2063, whose elements were reflected in the theme of the summit; “Investing in People, Prosperity and Peace”.

“Investing in people also requires the empowerment of women and the youth. For our partnership, this is a big hill that we have to climb together. We have to work together on training and the skills development.

“Given the different demographic trajectories of our two continents, one is young and will continue being young into the future and the other one is aging. So we may have to, in the near future, share the human resources of our continent with you.

“So it is in both our interest that this human resource is skilled, so that it can contribute both to the development of Africa, but also to Europe our partners,” she stated.

Infrastructure Development

Regarding infrastructure development, Mrs Zuma said its importance lay not only in modernising countries but would also interconnect countries while integrating the continent.

“And I think as Africa increases its energy, it could be a good partnership, if Europe could transfer technology in dealing with green energy, so that we can grow not only in fossil fuel energy, but grow in the renewable green energy and contribute to the preservation of the environment,” she added.

Biodiversity Preservation

Mrs Zuma also asked for cooperation in the preservation of Africa’s biodiversity and protection from poachers, prevention of illegal killing of animals, not only of elephants and rhinos but other animal species as well.

“And the preservation of these species is not only for the benefit of the continent, but is for the benefit of humanity. So I think we have a responsibility working together, to increase the capacity for Africa to protect its flora, fauna,” she said.

Security

While asking for Europe’s partnership and technology transfer to enable Africa to contribute meaningfully to the world’s economy, she admitted that it could only be achieved if there was peace on the African continent.

“But of course we know that all these cannot materialise and progress if we don’t silence the guns. And of course we have just come from a mini summit to discuss CAR, but also there is South Sudan, there is Mali that is being stabilised, there is Dafur, Somalia and DRC and we hope to work together on all these.”

Trade

Touching on trade, she said “the African continent would like to have a continental free trade area by 2070. This may be ambitious, but it is something that we want to achieve in the near future and we hope that whatever we do together as partners will reinforce the possibility of having this continental free trade.

“And again this will be great for Africa, for inter African trade but also for trade with Europe and it will be a great advantage for Europe to trade with Africa when we have one free trade in place, Mrs Zuma stressed.

Tribute to Nelson Mandela

Paying glowing tribute to the late Nelson Mandela, Mr José Manuel Barosso, President of the European Commission, said he hoped his commitment to peace, freedom and justice and his wisdom, would inspire discussions at the summit.

He noted that the large assembly of African and European leaders showed that “our vision of the world is one of cooperation and not competition, of openness and not retrenchment or exclusivity.

“Our partnership with Africa, like with any other partner, is constructed as a bridge and not as a barrier to more global cooperation. For us the era of fears of influence should be over. We need to replace it with wider circles of convergence.

“Our partnership with Africa is based on mutual respect – a partnership of equals, a partnership that is now more relevant than ever. But to deliver on the great potential of Africa, responsible leadership will be fundamental to overcome the challenges and risks that still exist.”

For his part, Mr Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council said Europe was committed to helping Africa bring an end to conflicts.

“We fervently support your aspiration to silence the guns by 2020,” Mr Rompuy stated, adding that the EU provided financial assistance for that cause through the African Peace Facility and that funds for the next two years had been almost doubled.

He further disclosed that on April 1, 2014, the EU decided to launch its ninth African operation, which would support efforts in the Central African Republic in full cooperation with the United Nations.

The EU would also collaborate with Africa in the fight against extremism in the Sahel and remain Africa’s largest trade investment and development partner.

“All should be able to live free from fear and all should have the possibility to prosper where they live. It is now for us as leaders to signal the strategic direction for our partnership, to set our priorities for the future and to confirm our commitment to deliver them,” Mr Rompuy said.

Mr Mohammed Ould Abdel Aziz, President of the African Union said “We will work tirelessly to find solutions to our problems but we may not have the means to implement and bring about the solutions on our own and hence we will then call upon partners and the global community to support our efforts.”