“Europe sides Africa”

After my visits last week to South Africa, Mozambique and Congo Democratic Republic, I depart for the G-8 summit convinced that the changes in that continent are a vital problem for my generation, not only in Europe but also in Africa. In the South African village of Orange Farm, I gave Ma Williams the telephone which would enable her to get in touch with all her collaborators. She runs a center for public aid that teaches a million South Africans to make their rights that were obtained so hard to be turned into reality. Rights like access to water, electricity and AIDS medications. This disease claims the life of roughly six persons per day.
My trip to Africa allowed me to learn more about what Europe does and could do for the African continent. Europe has already given the example and contributes 55% to the official aid for development. It is also the most open block to exports from developing countries. In 2009, Europe would have suppressed the quotas and tariffs on the number of products from the poorest nations of the world, except for weapons. But Europe can and should do more. The European Commission has proposed Europe to analyze the possibility of redoubling its assistance over the next ten years and attach particular priority to Africa. This aid is also necessary to be more effective. I am happy to know that during the European Council held recently, the European leaders approved the proposals of the Commission and made the commitment to increase aid for development to 20 billion Euros per year from now to the year 2010. This message of peace was silenced by the noise about the Constitution and European budget. But we should not forget that.
Africa is our neighbor from the other side of the Mediterranean. The impetus of massive generosity caused by the tsunami has shown the solidarity of the Europeans with certain regions of the world affected by some kind of catastrophe. But the Europeans should not act in Africa just to feel happy with themselves. Their objective should be to assist the Africans. Positive changes are taking place in Africa, but there are also bad news: wars, famine and diseases, violation of Human Rights that no one, either African, Asian or European, should accept. Africans have to play an active role, for example, through the procedure of mutual exam launched by Nepad (New Alliance for Africa’s Development) and also through the development of the African Union, whose summit I salute today.
In this regard, when I meet with the president Jacques Chirac and with the rest of the G-8 leaders, [1], I will feel proud of sending a European message of hope, determination and alliance. Resources are not enough to achieve this goal. It is required political will, organization and everybody’s willingness. It is a clear challenge for the ambitious Europe and open spirit that I would like to belong to.