The Africa-EU Strategy document distorts regional integration rather than fostering it, according to EJN executive director Malcolm Damon. The document also works on “the unchallenged assumption” that integrating African economies into the global economy will benefit Africa,  Damon said at a conference in Nairobi, Kenya, in April 2009.

Speaking at a Partnership Conference on the Africa-EU Strategy hosted by VENRO, the Association of German Development NGOs, and TAABCO, a Kenyan consultancy organisation, he said that the Strategy document rightfully focuses on regional trade integration but does not take into consideration that the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) will destroy regional integration.

The document also works on  the unchallenged assumption that integrating African economies into the global economy will benefit Africa.

The partnership conference was part of a project undertaken by VENRO  on the Africa-EU Strategy called “Prospects for Africa – Europe’s Policies”.  The  Africa-EU Strategy provides guidelines spelling out the policy framework for co-operation between African and European Union governments on issues of mutual concern such as governance, trade, climate change and development co-operation.

EJN has been involved in the Africa-EU process through its participation in the AACC  processes and continues to play a role especially in relation to trade issues and the impact of EPAs (Economic Partnership Agreements) on Africa and its development.

Damon participated in the Trade Working Group and also made a presentation on the Current Position on this issue as outlined in the current Africa-EU Strategy.

The position document mentions the following points:

• That the EPAs distorts regional integration rather than foster it;
• That regional integration incorporates social, political and political dimensions;
• That the Strategy document relies too heavily on the private sector, meaning big business, and ignores the role of  small, medium enterprises and small-scale farmers and women;
• That informal cross border trade plays an important role in regional integration.

Andrew Sherif of  the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) gave the keynote address, entitled “State of Play of the Africa-EU Strategy”. Sherif  gave an overview of the main issues addressed in the strategy document , explained the operational framework and  focussed on the role and opportunities for civil society to influence the process. 

This was followed by a panel discussion chaired by Dr. Agnes Abuom, an ecumenical church leader from the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) and the World Council of Churches (WCC). Various civil society representatives participated in the panel discussion,  including Dr. Sallah Hammad of  the African Union Commission and Prof. Dr. Christa Radzio – Platz, Vice-Chairperson of VENRO.

In the remainder of the two days,  the conference divided into four working groups to discuss the positions, demands and advocacy strategies of  the various civil society organisations who were present at the conference.  This was the major objective of the conference – to discuss the identified issues and develop a position paper identifying the demands and proposed strategies of civil society in relation to them.  The four working groups were on Energy, Gender, Governance and Human Rights and Trade. A fifth working group on climate change had completed their position paper prior to the conference in order to influence the climate change meetings which were taking place. 

Amongst the demands made by civil society were that regional integration should be people-driven and human-centred.

The conference position paper also sets out an advocacy strategy and elaborates on infra-structure development which forms an important part of the Africa-EU Strategy.