European, African leaders hold talks borderless intercontinental bloc
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) – African and European Union leaders on Thursday held important negotiations on the potential of creating a borderless regional bloc to promote balanced relations.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Senegalese President Macky Sall, Nigerien President Issoufou Mahamadou, Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Ghazouni and Burkina Faso’s Roch Mach Kabore, held a virtual meeting with the EU to discuss the proposal to break the thin line separating Europe and Africa.
President Kenyatta called for the crafting of a joint European and African Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) response strategy to consider the deepening of the ties between the EU and Africa through enhanced economic relations and debt relief.
He said the EU-Africa COVID-19 strategy should among other interventions pursue the cancellation of debts owed by African countries.
The virtual EU-Africa mini-Summit discussed the proposed establishment of the Africa-Mediterranean-Europe (AME) Foundation, which was proposed in Malta in 2015, at a joint African Union-EU Summit to promote economic integration.
The setting up of AME Foundation as a platform to enhance development discourse and interactions between Africa, the Mediterranean and Europe is being championed by the former President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker.
President Kenyatta supported the proposal to establish the Foundation saying the initiative will help inject new ideas needed to scale up collaboration between the three regions.
"I welcome with enthusiasm the proposal to establish the Africa-Med-Europe (AME) Foundation. The Foundation will complement the existing Africa-European continental cooperation in addressing the emerging global challenges," Kenyatta said.
He said the Foundation should be structured to be a robust platform for the promotion of multilateralism and inclusivity.
"It will also be imperative for the Africa-Med-Europe Foundation to be a voice against unilateralism and be a champion in the promotion of inclusive and consultative decision making by our continents,” said Kenyatta, who spoke from State House in Nairobi.
The creation of the three-crescents, as the proposed joint bloc seeks to bolster inter-continental trade and manufacturing partnerships between Africa, the Med and Europe.
"In this context of inclusivity, the Foundation should also recognise the critical role of the private sector, the academia and civil society," President Kenyatta said.
He endorsed the proposal to include the setting up of the EMA Foundation as an agenda during the next AU-EU Summit scheduled for October this year.
"I also agree and concur with the idea that the next Africa Union-European Union Summit can present an excellent opportunity and platform to call for the establishment and support for the Africa-Med-Europe Foundation," he said.
President Macky Sall supported the establishment of the EMA Foundation saying the institution will help address the changes happening on the African continent.
President Kabore reiterated President Kenyatta's sentiments that EMA will assist in advancing multilateralism and global solidarity especially in post-COVID-19 recovery.
-0- PANA AO/AR 16July2020
