RECONCILING VALUES AND INTERESTS IN THE EXTERNAL ACTION OF THE EU

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In its 2012-2016 strategy ECDPM has given a prominent place to the crucial thematic priority of 'Reconciling values and interests in the external action of the EU'. We asked five institutional actors representing Africa, the ACP and Europe to reflect on the progress that the EU has made in terms of reconciling values and interests and putting policy into practice since the introduction of the Lisbon Treaty, which entered into force in 2009. We were also interested in their views on the partnership between Europe and Africa. 

Compilation video
 

Interview with Ajay Bramdeo - African Union Ambassador to the European Union


“Our joint Africa-EU strategy has been in place, and it is a good strategy. But we still need to reach a level of understanding, where the benefits are more mutual. At the moment, from the African perspective, we believe that it is Europe that continues to benefit more from this partnership than Africa does.”

Interview with Fernando Frutuoso de Melo - EuropeAid Director General


“We are doing much better today in terms of reconciling values and interests in EU external action. The changes in the world have created better conditions for that as well. Today the relationship with our partner countries is very much based on a set of universal values.”

Interview with Obadiah Mailafia - Chef de Cabinet of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States


“Africa and Europe are partners of destiny, we cannot help but work together. Our cooperation has succeeded quite remarkably in some areas, such as peace and security issues. However, in other areas, cooperation has not worked so well. In terms of private sector cooperation for example, we need to do more work in facilitating and advancing the course of trade cooperation between our two regions.”
Interview with Peter Moors - Director General of the Belgian Development Cooperation


“As far as development cooperation is concerned, the jury is still out. The EU Institutions are in place. But I am still waiting for this to translate into practical policy. Since Lisbon we have not been able to put the development cooperation policy domain at the top of the agenda.”

Interview with Adebayo Olukoshi - Director of the UN African Institute for Economic Development and Planning


 “Consistency will become an increasingly important element in the definition of values in terms of their true universality. Universality in the sense that we can all recognise ourselves in the way in which those values are articulated.“