Opening session of the EP High Level Conference -Towards a renewed partnership with Africa, to discuss new responses to the challenges facing Africa and ways to deepen the EU-Africa partnership, in the EP in Brussels. Private sector and civic society delegates include 2014 Sakharov Prize Laureate Dr Denis MUKWEGE.

Brussels

conference

EU - Africa (T)

development aid

EP High Level Conference - Towards a renewed partnership with Africa: extracts from the opening session

Atmosphere before the opening and during the conference, (5 shots)

SOUNDBITE (French), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, I have always said that we must look at Africa through African eyes, and this calls for frank and direct peer-to-peer dialogue.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Globalisation and migration have shown that building walls or putting up barriers is not the solution. Africa&rsquo;s problems are Europe&rsquo;s problems too.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, Africa&rsquo;s destiny must be put back in the hands of Africans. But Europe must play its part as well. We must work together with Africa, as equals, and make available the fruits of our leadership in the areas of technology, quality, industrial know-how and training. Ten years have passed since the EU-Africa strategy was adopted. In that time many hopes have been dashed. Europe has lacked the courage to develop truly effective instruments.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Antonio TAJANI, EP President, The proposed sum of EUR 40 billion - 12 times more than the current budget for the Investment Plan - is needed to generate an impact commensurate with our objectives. This is a critical mass large enough to attract European private and public investment.

SOUNDBITE (French), Faustin-Archange TOUADERA, President of the Central African Republic, Our actions will also require appropriate adjustments in governance practice and will require audacious and original decisions to create a framework that is attractive for investors. Ladies and gentlemen, the major concern that we face as decision makers is that we need to find the key to tackle the challenge of developing our countries while taking of indigenous values and the strong demand that young generations to be further involved in their future.

SOUNDBITE (German), G&#252;nther OETTINGER, Member of the EC in charge of Budget , Our British friends are leaving the EU that gives us problems when it comes to the income side after the transition phase there will be a gap between 12 and &euro;14 billion Euros. I can say to you that we will do everything possible to ensure that this gap is not a filled by cutting development assistance and money that is given to Neighbourhood policy. These resources that are provided for Neighbourhood policy, are resources that we want to continue to spend. The question for our political friends who will be involved in the negotiation is: are British friends going to invest in Africa by themselves in the future or do they need a partner when it comes to development aid, are they going to be involved in funding those things, even they are no longer members of the EU?

SOUNDBITE (English), Roger NKODO DANG, President of the Pan African Parliament, The joint strategy did however have a major structural shortcoming and that is that it wasn&rsquo;t incorporated in any legal or financial framework and because of it &lsquo;ad hoc&rsquo; nature was not seen as being binding by partners.