The European Union in South Africa

The European Union is the world’s largest donor in the field of international development cooperation. Together with its Member States, it provides more than 50 per cent of total official development assistance (ODA) worldwide. The EU is a signatory to key international agreements and commitments. They include the Millennium Development Goals, which are to be achieved by the target year of 2015, and the commitments on financing for development made at the Monterrey Conference. The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness is another important international commitment.

Africa and Europe are linked by a special partnership and historical ties. Europe is supporting its neighbour continent as it takes responsibility for addressing its urgent development problems and future challenges. Poverty reduction and attaining the Millennium Development Goals are especially pressing tasks in Africa. The fate of Africa and its people has a direct bearing on Europe.

Europe and Africa need a strong, broad-based and long-term partnership. Their common interests in many different areas must be translated into targeted action. A joint strategy is essential for this process.

The Strategy for Africa is evolving into a partnership with Africa. The EU Strategy for Africa is being developed further by the European Union and the African Union (AU) into a joint EU and AU Africa Strategy, and will be the basis for long-term cooperation based one quality and a strong, future-oriented partnership. The Strategy is to be adopted at a joint Africa Summit in Lisbon at the end of 2007.

Since 1998, South Africa has belonged to the group of ACP states (African, Caribbean and Pacific states), although it is not signatory to the commercial and financial provisions of the Lomé Agreement and the Cotonou Agreement, which cornerstones include the exemption from customs duties for imports from ACP states to the European Countries, the establishment of funds to stabilise the export earnings of ACP states and fighting poverty. The EU does not consider South Africa a developing country in the strictest sense. It has thus entered into a separate agreement on trade, development and cooperation with South Africa. The EU is promoting the programme for reconstruction and development of the new democratic government of South Africa. The country’s social, economic and political structures are to be reformed, and the injustices of the past must be overcome. For the period 2000 – 2006, funds totalling 885.5 million euros were earmarked for this purpose. EU funding for South Africa is now delivered through the Development Cooperation Instrument (DCI), and for the period 2007 – 2013 will amount to around 980 million euros.