ISS/ECDPM Seminar: The Changing Nature of Europe-Africa Relations in 2009

Date: 2009-03-03 to Invalid date

ISS/ECDPM Seminar: The Changing Nature of Europe-Africa Relations in 2009
Addis Ababa, 3 March 2009

 

Co-Hosted by the ISS Addis Ababa and the European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM), Netherlands

 

The changing geostrategic environment and the era of globalization have impacted the nature of the relationship between Africa and Europe. In 2007 at the EU-Africa Heads of State Summit, a new Joint Africa-EU Strategy (also known as the EU-Africa Strategic Partnership) was adopted signaling the aspiration for a different type of more political relationship. The emergence and growing influence of new BRIC countries in Africa means that the EU is only one amongst a number of other actors, yet Europe continues to be an important in the political, economic and security spheres for Africa even in the current economic crisis. The European Union is going through a number of development—some of which are long-term related to the process of integration, while others are affected by immediate political concerns within Europe. These developments within the EU do have the potential to shape the nature of EU-Africa relations in a number of areas in relations to political dialogue, trade, aid, energy, and peace and security concerns. This seminar aims to provide a frank and independent view from Europe and Africa on these developments. The seminar will interrogate the following questions: how will developments in Europe impact upon Africa – Europe relations in 2009 and what from a European and African perspective will be the challenges for the implementation of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (also known as the EU-Africa Strategic Partnership) in 2009? In engaging in these questions, the seminar hopes to input independent information from Europe and Africa to the on-going official dialogue between Africa and Europe. The seminar will draw upon the rich and critical experiences of the senior EU and AU officials.

 

The joint ECDPM-ISS Seminar is a part of the comprehensive strategy by the ISS to build consensus by providing a platform for sharing information, encouraging policy analysis, constructive debates and dialogues on the continent’s agenda. For ECDPM, the seminar is fulfilling its mandate to provide independent analysis to facilitate policy dialogue between Europe and Africa. The aim is to stimulate quality discussion and constructive interaction between participants drawn from the diplomatic community, AU, civil society organizations and other interested parties.

 

The panelists will be drawn from the ECDPM and ISS with responses from senior officials from the EU and AU, and will be moderated by the ISS.

 

Date: Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Time: 10h00am – 12h30pm
Venue: Large Briefing Room, United Nations Conference Center, Addis Ababa

 

For queries, confirmations and regrets please contact: Ms Yemissrach Tadesse, Tel: (+251) 011-372-11-54; Fax (+251) 011-372-59-54; E-mail: [email protected].

 

More information about ECDPM can be found at www.ecdpm.org. ECDPM is a member of the Europe Africa Policy Research Network (EARN).

 

Please note that discussions occur under the Chatham House rules, which means no attribution without specific permission

 

Seminar Documentation