By Daisy Ayliffe - 28th November 2006
Europe’s lack of coordination in development policy is costing Africa dear, EU development commissioner Louis Michel has said.
Speaking at the policy conference on Africa in Berlin the commissioner called for a more coherent EU approach to Africa.
“The EU must engage further,” he said on Tuesday.
“European aid draws on 26 different sources – the 25 member states and the European commission. The lack of coordination cannot be underestimated and it is Africa that is suffering.”
Michel told delegates that Africa must be put back at the top of Europe’s foreign policy agenda as he reflected on the “sometimes painful” history between the two continents.
“My engagement in Africa is based on an optimism that is inspired by the other face of Africa often ignored by the media. It is the face of those determined to take their destiny into their own hands,” he said.
He went on to underline the importance of building on the “special relationship” - but he said this must be on new, 21st century terms.
“We must no longer think of Africa as a beneficiary or under developed continent,” he said.
“It is a partner and a new player in the global system.”
40 per cent of Africans live on less than a dollar a day, he reminded delegates.
"And three quarters of those killed by Aids are Africans," he added.
But the international community stand accused of failing to meet its promises to Africa – particularly on Aids.
At a special session of the UN General Assembly (Ungass) in 2001, delegates made a declaration of commitment on HIV and Aids.
Leaders from 189 member states pledged to halt and reverse the global epidemic by 2015.
A series of targets were set for 2005 including a 25 per cent reduction in the number of young people becoming infected with the virus.
Yet there has only been a 4.1 per cent reduction for 15- to 24-year-old females and only 1.6 per cent for their male counterparts.
At the recent G8 meeting in St Petersburg leaders came under fire from NGOs for failing to make new funding commitments.
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