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Economic Partnership Agreement
to offer AU countries more economic advantage -- EU
Accra, July 3, Ghanadot/GNA – The European Union on Tuesday
said the Economic Partnership Agreements to be signed on
December 31 this year will offer African countries more
comparative economic advantages than any alternative trade
regime.
In an address at the meeting of the Heads of State and
Governments of the Africa Union, Mr Jose Manuel Barroso,
President of the European Commission, stressed that the next
six months would be critical in defining the relationship
between Europe and Africa.
He said Europe was seeking from Africa a partnership that
would strengthen the political relationships, allow the two
continents to work together in dealing with the challenges
of energy and climatic change among others, and above all, a
partnership that was people centred.
“This is a partnership that will enable us to face the
future together to meet the global challenges that face us.”
In the need to facilitate the partnership Europe is offering
Africa 5.6 billion Euros to enhance capacity and prepare
them for trade exchange with the EU.
Mr. Barroso reminded African leaders that no form of
integration would succeed if there was not first in the
place sound governance and economic integration.
He therefore asked the leaders to find pragmatic ways to
achieve the unity that the continent desired.
Mr. Barroso pledged EUs continuous support for Africa to
enhance the capacity for peace and security.
Touching on the issue of migration of African youth in
search of greener pastures in Europe, Mr Barroso said
migration should be a source of prosperity and not a human
tragedy.
Mr Jose Socrates, Prime Minister of Portugal, reiterated the
commitment of the EU to the proposed Union Government for
Africa.
He said Africa should be the priority of Europe because of
the common historical past that bonded them together.
Mr Socrates asked the continent’s leaders to translate their
vision to concrete action through setting up of structures
that would be binding and a mechanism of implementation at
the highest level.
GNA
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