Kategorie: Afrika

How to reconcile values and interests in EU-Africa relations?

By Afrika, , ,
Image: African Union Headquarters

Europe and Africa at a crossroads

The democracy, rule of law and human rights agenda is under pressure but it is more relevant than ever in the Europe-Africa dialogue. Fears of the negative effects of globalisation, growing inequalities and the refugee crisis have caused a wave of populism in Western liberal democracies. In several European countries, traditional political parties are losing the trust of significant parts of the population. This also affects the role that Europe is playing in the global world and in its partnership with Africa as the closest neighbour. Geopolitical and economic interests seem to take the upper hand over the values in EU foreign policy.

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Africa: Continent of possibilites

By Afrika, Future of Development Cooperation, , ,
Image: Tunnel
Africa: Continent of possibilites

Migration and cash flows demonstrate the lack of confidence that many African societies have in their economic and political systems. If this problem is to be solved, development cooperation actors need to work with the private sector and strengthen civil society structures in order to gradually work themselves out of a job.

 

 

 

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What Implications for Future EU Development Policy?

By Afrika, ,
Image: Refugee Camp

Transactional deals on migration management

The EU is currently in the process of revising its overarching vision on development policy, the European Consensus on Development. This process requires an honest examination of some of the contradictions that have emerged between, on one hand, the EU’s development commitments and principles and its long-term interests in a building a genuine partnership with Africa for sustainable development, and, on the other hand, a growing trend towards using development aid for short term security and migration management priorities. These tensions are clearly highlighted in the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF) which was established at the Valletta Summit in November 2015.

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Making holes in the filter bubble

By Afrika, , ,
Image: Newspapers

Think like the media

Reading the papers over the last few months, I’ve picked up different pieces of information about “Africa”. Of course, I saw that Angela Merkel called for a new refugee policy during her visit to Mali, Niger and Ethiopia, acknowledging that it was in Germany’s interest to promote Africa’s welfare. Less prominently featured was news of a controversy among agricultural economists over whether the Guinea Savannah could be turned into a bread basket for Zambia through agriculture.

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