Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-03-23-Speech-1-138"
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"en.20090323.17.1-138"2
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".
Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I would first of all like to thank the Committee on Development and its rapporteur, Mrs Martens, for this report which makes a first assessment of the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership one year after the Lisbon Summit.
It is, therefore, with this in mind that two years ago we set up the EUR 2.7 billion governance section for all the ACP countries. This approach is based on three principles: dialogue, incentivising reforms and ownership of these reforms by the partner country. However, the report expresses doubts and concerns, particularly as regards the governance profiles: how they are drawn up, how they are used and their possible negative impact on the African Peer Review Mechanism.
I would remind you that the governance profiles that cover all dimensions of these – that is the political, economic, social, institutional and environmental dimensions, and so on – were only the starting point and in no way guided the programming of this section.
Moreover, the results and conclusions of this analysis were discussed with the government of the partner country during the programming dialogue. On the basis of this, the government was encouraged to explain its own reform plan or, if need be, complete it or go into more detail; to demonstrate the relevance, ambition and credibility of these reforms on the basis of three evaluation criteria, which then allowed the level of financial incentive for each country to be determined. In this context, particular attention was given to countries which are committed to the African Peer Review Mechanism and which have completed the review, showing their desire to continue along these lines. This exercise threw into stark relief the very different situations of each country; the respective needs for reform as well as the different capacities for drawing up and proposing a governance plan. Flexibility and pragmatism have therefore been necessary when apportioning the governance incentive fund. In January 2009, the Commission published an interim report on the incentive fund process and sent it to all the institutions of the European Union, for whatever purpose it may serve.
It is, of course, with great satisfaction that I note the number of positive elements underlined by this report and the progress that has been made during the course of a year, which is relatively short for such a vast and, above all, politically ambitious exercise. To mention just one of these, we have this afternoon had a meeting between Parliament’s ad hoc delegation for relations with the Pan-African Parliament of the African Union and the Pan-African Parliament of the African Union’s ad hoc committee for relations with the European Parliament on the role of parliaments in implementing and monitoring Africa-EU strategy.
That in itself is a concrete result. A new institutional architecture between the two continents is being put in place and I wish to congratulate the two presidents for the work that they have completed.
Rather than elaborating on the positive aspects of the Martens Report, I would like instead to touch on three key points that the report highlights for improving the EU-African Union partnership. The first point is on the role of parliaments. You know how much of a believer I am in the role of the parliaments, both as actors and as scrutineers of the democratic process. It is in this twin capacity that the European and Pan-African parliaments are invited to take part in the Africa-EU Strategic Partnership.
I can therefore assure you of my total support for the proposals made in the European Parliament and Pan-African Parliament joint proposal and repeated in the report. These consist firstly of participation at the appropriate level in the joint panels of experts relating to the four thematic partnerships which concern you. Secondly, involvement in drawing up the annual progress reports. Thirdly, participation in the joint taskforce, and fourthly the participation of the presidents in the Africa-European Union Summit.
Some of these proposals have, I might add, already materialised, or are in the process of doing so. As regards civil society and non-state actors, I am more convinced than anyone that the principle challenge for 2009 consists of speeding up the achievement of tangible results before the mid-term assessment planned for autumn 2009 and achieving the ambition of a partnership centred on people outside of institutions.
In this context, non-state actors are being brought in to play an important role ahead of becoming involved in the joint panels of experts for each of the eight thematic partnerships. On the European side, a civil society steering group has already been established last spring to monitor and participate in the implementation of the partnership. On the African side, a civil society steering group has also been recently put in place under the aegis of the Economic, Social and Cultural Council of the African Union.
European and African civil society should meet in a forum at the end of April 2009 to draw up concrete proposals for commitment to the joint Africa/European Union ministerial Troika.
As regards strategic partnerships, and specifically the one dealing with governance and human rights, I welcome Parliament’s move towards a notion of government that is very dear to me: the good execution of the executive functions and the powers conferred by public law by a state that is impartial and capable of meeting the needs and aspirations of its citizens."@en1
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