In the sense of most people poverty, underdevelopment and worse living conditions are directly connected to the continent of Africa and the people living there. Furthermore Africa has been exploited by other nations and distressed by internal military and non-military conflicts. This is why most nations all over the world have identified the need of help, although it is sometimes done for their own purpose. This paper will focus on the EU development strategy and policy for the African continent. First of all I will explain the legal foundation and principles of the Union’s Africa strategy. Secondly I’ll try to identify the most important impacts on the changing relationship between Africa and the EU since the 1950s. This will be followed by a detailed insight into the history of common European Development Policy from the times of the EEC to the Treaty of Cotonou. After that I want to focus on the actual relationship, especially the Lisbon Declaration and the joint strategy for Africa. Last but not least there will be a short evaluation if this strategy is or even could be successful. In the end I will sum up my results and connect them to my own opinion.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. THE LEGAL FOUNDATION AND PRINCIPLES OF THE EU DEVELOPMENT POLICY
3. INFLUENCING FACTORS ON THE CHANGING EU-AFRICA RELATIONSHIP
4. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT POLICY
4.1 THE EARLY BEGINNINGS: FROM ROME TO YAOUNDÉ
4.2 THE LOMÉ CONVENTIONS
4.3 THE TREATY OF COTONOU
5. THE ACTUAL EU-AFRICAN RELATIONSHIP
5.1 CONTENT OF THE ACTUAL PARTNERSHIP
5.2 EVALUATION OF THE STRATEGY
6. CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this paper is to analyze the evolution of European Union development strategies toward Africa, examining how the relationship has shifted from historical, donor-recipient models to a more contemporary strategic partnership, while assessing the effectiveness and potential future success of current joint policies.
- Historical evolution of EU development policies from the 1950s to the present.
- The shift from one-sided aid agreements to two-sided trade and political partnerships.
- The impact of geo-political changes, security interests, and decolonization on EU-Africa relations.
- Analysis of key policy frameworks including the Treaty of Rome, the Lomé Conventions, the Treaty of Cotonou, and the Lisbon Declaration.
- Evaluation of the current strategic partnership's success and remaining challenges regarding inequality.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2 The Lomé Conventions
The 1970s brought some more significant changes to the Africa policy of the EEC. The accession of Great Britain to the EEC, the more homogenous appearance of the new established ACP-states and economical circumstances like the oil crisis of 1973/1974 had a significant influence on the new strategy for Africa. This change was put into action with the first Lomé Convention. This treaty again consists of two main pillars. On the one hand the opening of the markets and on the other hand financial support for the developing countries. One of the most important outcomes was that the EEC tried to establish the principle of reciprocity in trade agreements, what is an important step towards a free-trade zone. But this might become a problem for the African countries because there governments are very often dependent on the incomes through tariffs. On the other side nearly all products from the developing countries should have gained tariff-free market entry to the EEC markets. Nevertheless the EEC countries again included some protective clauses for their domestic agrarian markets and for the case of economic bad times. A further very important new development was the introduction of the STABEX. This system should stabilize the budget planning of the ACP states by offering them a compensation for harvest losses and deficiency in export receipts. But there were also some limitations, i.e. the money of the fund was bound to certain products and resources, and the product must have a share of 5% in the countries foreign trade. All in all STABEX was good for short-term compensation, although it couldn’t solve the long term problem of decreasing resource prices. Five years after the first Lomé Convention the cooperation has to be renewed in 1981 by the Lomé II. This agreement mirrored the economic bad situation of many European countries at these times. Many of them were facing a recession and increasing unemployment figures.
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION: Outlines the scope of the paper, detailing the intention to explore the history, legal foundation, and current strategy of EU development policy toward Africa.
2. THE LEGAL FOUNDATION AND PRINCIPLES OF THE EU DEVELOPMENT POLICY: Examines the constitutional origins of EU development cooperation in the Treaty of Rome and the 1993 EU Treaty, highlighting key principles like subsidiarity and coherence.
3. INFLUENCING FACTORS ON THE CHANGING EU-AFRICA RELATIONSHIP: Analyzes the political, economic, and security-related drivers, such as the Cold War and the process of decolonization, that shaped the evolution of the relationship.
4. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EUROPEAN DEVELOPMENT POLICY: Provides a historical retrospective through the early association treaties, the Lomé Conventions, and the transition to the Cotonou framework.
5. THE ACTUAL EU-AFRICAN RELATIONSHIP: Investigates the transition to a joint strategic partnership post-2007, evaluating its objectives, institutional changes, and criticisms regarding equality.
6. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, noting the improvement in the relationship while arguing for continued, intensified efforts to address existing inequalities between the two continents.
Keywords
European Union, Africa, Development Policy, Treaty of Cotonou, Lomé Conventions, Trade Agreements, ACP States, Foreign Aid, Security Policy, Strategic Partnership, Good Governance, Decolonization, European Economic Community, Sustainability, Economic Integration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the development strategies and policies of the European Union toward the African continent, tracing their evolution from the 1950s to the current strategic partnership.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The work covers the legal foundations of EU development policy, the historical transitions in trade and aid frameworks, the influence of security and economic interests, and the shift toward a more balanced, joint strategy.
What is the central research question?
The central goal is to determine how the EU-Africa relationship has shifted over time and to evaluate whether the recent strategic partnership constitutes a genuine step toward equality or remains a paternalistic endeavor.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The paper utilizes a historical-analytical approach, reviewing legislative treaties, policy declarations, and existing academic literature to assess the trajectory of EU development policies.
What topics are covered in the main section of the paper?
The main sections address the origins of the development policy, the specific impact of various treaties like Yaoundé and Cotonou, and an evaluation of the 2007 Lisbon strategic partnership.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include EU-Africa relations, development aid, economic partnership, trade policy, and the Cotonou Agreement.
How did the role of African organizations like the African Union change in the relationship?
With the foundation of the African Union in 2003, it emerged as the primary partner for the EU, shifting the relationship from a donor-recipient model toward a more direct dialogue between equal continental entities.
What critique is presented regarding the current strategic partnership?
Critics argue that despite the rhetoric of an equal partnership, the unequal initial positions of the parties persist, and there is a danger that high-level political goals may overlook the immediate needs of the African population.
Why are security and economic factors considered crucial?
The paper identifies that development is often linked to security (e.g., preventing conflicts) and economic stability, both of which serve the mutual interests of the EU and African states, influencing the design of aid policies.
- Citar trabajo
- Lukas Neubauer (Autor), 2009, The EU - Africa Relationship , Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/154289
