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Libya: Africa-EU Summit Partnering for Millennium Development Goals

Global Arab Network - Africa-EU Summit in Libya

Sunday, 28 November 2010 17:30

Africa_and_Europe_Millennium_Development_Goals

Africa-EU Summit in Libya (Tripoli ) - The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) partnership constitutes a platform for intensified continent-to-continent policy dialogue, cooperation and joint action at all levels with a view to achieving the MDGs in all African countries. It has so far concentrated on the education, health and agricultural sectors, Global Arab Network reports according to a press statement.

It also aims at creating the necessary policy and financial architecture to foster MDG progress.

Who will benefit from the partnership and how?

The beneficiaries are first and foremost the people of Africa.
Over the last decade, encouraging progress has been achieved on certain MDGs, notably in terms of expansion of HIV/AIDS treatment, increases in agricultural productivity, rise in school enrolment and increased gender parity in primary education.

The EU is fully committed to achieving the MDGs. As the world’s largest donor as well as the major trading and investment partner for Africa, the EU has contributed, not only through cooperation programmes directly targeting MDGrelated sectors, but also through support and policy dialogue in crucial areas for sustainable development such as infrastructure, energy, climate change, private sector development, good governance and public finance management.

Who are the main actors involved?

The MDG partnership is prone to a multi-stakeholder approach. The main actors involved are African and European Governments and Parliaments, the African Union Commission and the European Commission, local authorities, civil society organisations, private actors and researchers.

What has been achieved so far?

Among many actions taken in the framework of the MDG partnership, the following could be mentioned:

MDG 1 – Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
€1 billion mobilized through the Food Facility, of which approximately €560 million is destined for Africa. Other allocations under the European Development Fund (EDF): €200 million that benefit around 30 African countries and the Food Security thematic programme (approx. €220 million per year with more than 40 % destined to Africa).

MDG 2 – Achieve universal primary education
The European Commission has contributed as follows: €22 million in 2007 to the Education for All Fast Track Initiative fund; €5.6 million in 2008 and €4.5 million in 2009. 21 out of 30 countries that benefited from the Fund are in Africa.

MDG 6 – Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
The EU has contributed to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM), with the Commission alone providing €100 million per year in 2008 and 2009. Africa has received some 60 % of all GFATM financing since 2002.

What are the challenges for the future?

Although tremendous disparities exist among countries, Africa as a whole will not attain all the MDGs if the current trends continue.

Progress has been particularly weak in Least Developed Countries as well as in situations where conflict and fragility still exist. Certain MDG targets, such as nutrition, child and maternal mortality as well as access to sanitation, are particularly off-track and require specific attention and action.

The EU and the AU believe that achieving MDGs remains feasible with the necessary political will as well as adequate policies and resources from all partners in the international community. This is a shared responsibility and requires mutual accountability.

On the EU side, this will require more development financial resources, better policy coherence for development and more effectiveness of aid to generate more concrete results. On the African side, this calls for enhanced ownership, notably through the translation of the MDGs into country-specific objectives and indicators and their integration into nationally owned development policies, as well as efforts to increase national resources mobilization and to create an enabling and conducive environment to sustainable development and inclusive growth.

For more information on the 3rd Africa-EU Summit in Libya, click HERE.

Global Arab Network

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Last Updated on Sunday, 28 November 2010 17:50

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