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EU vows to strengthen its partnership with Africa

Xinhua, October 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

The European Union (EU) has vowed to further strengthen its partnership with Africa in different spheres.

Federica Mogherini, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, later Tuesday met and held talks with Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Chairperson of the AU Commission, and other AU officials at the Headquarters of the pan-African bloc in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa.

In her keynote to African diplomats based in Addis Ababa as well as to AU and EU officials among others, the EU High Representative noted that EU is keen to strengthen its partnership in different areas with Africa, for which she underlined the need to employ joint efforts.

Investment is one of the two focus areas, the EU High Representative underlined that EU is keen to strengthen cooperation with Africa by building on years of common work.

"We must move beyond this model of donor-recipient relationship. When Europe puts money on the development of Africa, it is not charity work. It is not to cleanse our conscience.Europe's interest is to invest in Africa's growth. Europe and Africa must invest in each other," said the high representative.

"Investments from European companies in Africa total over 200 billion Euros: Europe is already Africa's leading investment partner," she said, "But the potential for expansion is huge."

"For this reason we are working together with the African Union to promote industrialization, diversification and the creation of added value," she noted.

The official further stated that EU is cooperating with AU to boost Africa's agriculture, improve climate resiliency as well as to invest in infrastructure and facilitate technology transfer while intensifying joint research and development.

She also noted that EU fully supports AU in its ambitious target of creating a Continental Free Trade Area.

"We are ready to share with you the experience we gained in building the European Single Market - the 2 processes, the two realities are different but we can share our expertise that is unparalleled in the world. And a healthier African markets is your interest as much as it is ours," she said.

She stated that EU is also keen to further strengthen partnership and jointly work with Africa in peace and security area as well as in addressing the root cause of migration. Endit