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Council of the European Union
General Secretariat
Directorate-General Communication and Information - COMM
Directorate Information and Outreach
Information Services Unit / Transparency
Head of Unit
Brussels, 16 March 2022
Dr Oleg Weretelnik
Email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
Ref. 22/0362-vl/nb
Request made on: 19.02.2022
Registered on:
21.02.2022
Deadline extension: 14.03.2022
Dear Dr Weretelnik,
Thank you for your request for access to documents of the Council and European Council.
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To begin with the comprehensive strategy with Africa, announced in the European Commission's
work programme 2020, I would highlight the following documents (attached hereto, for your
convenience):
-
Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council - Towards a
comprehensive strategy with Africa, doc. ST
6703/20 of 9.03.2020;
-
Council Conclusions on Africa, doc. ST
9265/20 of 30.6.2020 (see in particular the
references to an envisaged civil society's and other organisations' mobilisation).
The Resolution referred to in your request was adopted by the European Parliament (text also
attached hereto, for your convenience).
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The General Secretariat of the Council - acting as secretariat for the European Council pursuant to Article 235(4)
of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union - has examined your request on the basis of the
applicable rules: Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council regarding public
access to European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43) and the
specific provisions of the European Council's Rules of Procedure (European Council Decision No 2009/882/EU,
OJ L 315, 2.12.2009, p. 51) set out in Article 10(2) which makes Annex II to the Council's Rules of Procedure
(Council Decision No 2009/937/EU, OJ L 325, 11.12.2009, p. 35) applicable mutatis mutandis.
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België
Tel. +32 (0)2 281 67 10 - www.consilium.europa.eu - xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.xx
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As you are most likely aware, during the recent EU-AU Summit, held in Brussels on 17-18
February 2022, leaders adopted a joint declaration which sets up a Joint Vision for a renewed
Partnership to build a common future, as closest partners and neighbours. The aim of this Joint
Vision is to consolidate a renewed Partnership for solidarity, security, peace and sustainable and
sustained economic development and prosperity for our citizens and for our future generations,
bringing together our people, regions and organisations.
As for the second part of your request and the question of monitoring of implementation of the
strategy / Joint Vision, certain references can be found in the recent jointly adopted texts:
a) t
he joint communique from the AU-EU foreign affairs ministerial (Kigali, 26 October 2021),
para 56: "
Ministers agreed to continue monitoring the effective implementation of the AU-EU
partnership building on and with the support of the existing dialogue structures. Ministers
acknowledged to mobilise both financial and non-financial resources in order to achieve the
objectives set out in this declaration on the basis of mutual interests and in the spirit of genuine
partnership. The Ministers also agree that means of cooperation shal be diversified, encompassing
a range of policies and instruments, from all available sources and actors.
Ministers also agreed on a joint AU-EU Ministerial Follow-up Committee to monitor the
implementation of al commitments from AU-EU Summits and Ministerial Meetings. The two
Commissions wil undertake consultations on the establishment and operationalisation of this
Committee.";
b) t
he joint declaration from the EU-AU Summit (Brussels, 17-18 February 2022), para 8 third
alinea:
"
We commit to following up on our engagements to monitor the implementation of the commitments
undertaken during AU-EU Summits. Follow-up wil be done on a regular basis via existing AU-EU
structures, including the AU-EU Ministerial Follow-up Committee."
At the final press conference following the EU-AU Summit, President Charles Michel referred in his
remarks to the importance of setting up a monitoring mechanism, in order to ensure that the two
Commissions, as well as the political leadership of both the AU and EU, with the involvement of
private sector and civil society actors, in particular the Africa Europe Foundation, have the ability to
take stock at regular intervals of the progress reached.
The EU is currently working on concrete proposals to put in place the appropriate implementing
structures and follow-up mechanism in this field. The EU proposal would subsequently be
submit ed to the AU side for consideration. However, no decision on the actual format of such
mechanism has been taken yet.
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België
Tel. +32 (0)2 281 67 10 - www.consilium.europa.eu - xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.xx
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Meanwhile, the existing platforms (i.e. the annual AU-EU ministerial meetings, AU-EU Commission
to Commission meetings) continue to monitor the progress in the partnership between the two
Unions.
You may also wish to visit the relevant web page of the European Commission's web site at
https:/ ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/africa-eu-
partnership_en#:~:text=The%20partnership%20strives%20to%20bring,prosperity%2C%20solidarit
y%20and%20human%20dignity. Yours sincerely,
Fernando FLORINDO
(Enclosures: 3)
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België
Tel. +32 (0)2 281 67 10 - www.consilium.europa.eu - xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.xx
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Document Outline