EU-Botswana Business Forum (EBBF)
On the 11th and 12th of October, 2023, the EU-Botswana Business Forum (EBBF) was held in Gaborone, Botswana.
Botswana and the European Union offered a space to explore new investment and trade opportunities for captains of industries, investors, private sector organisations, chambers of commerce, public institutions, policymakers, and financial institutions.
The delegates shared experience, explored ways to strengthen cooperation, network and exchange ideas on trade and investment topics such as business development strategies, industry trends, market opportunities and special economic development. The EBBF was a unique opportunity for networking and discussion with audience participation and interaction opportunities across each session’s design.
Global Gateway: launch of the Green Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap for Kenya
During the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and President of Kenya Ruto launched the Green Hydrogen Strategy and Roadmap for Kenya, with the support of Global Gateway, Europe's investment strategy for the world.
The Roadmap, developed with EU experts, sets out Kenya's ambitions to develop its green hydrogen industry from this year to 2032 and beyond. It focuses on domestic market development and growth, exports, and includes specific objectives related to emission reduction, job creation, and direct investments.
Global Gateway: EU launches Digital Economy Package for Kenya to boost connectivity, skills and inclusive governance
As part of her official visit to Kenya, European Union Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen launched the EU’s Digital Economy Package for Kenya. As part of the Global Gateway investment strategy – the EU’s positive offer to advance the twin digital and green transition and to deliver trusted and sustainable connections to partner countries – the package reflects the EU’s strong commitment to Kenya’s technological transition by expanding the connectivity of schools, providing skills training for students and establishing a green digital innovation hub.
Global Gateway: Ghana and the EU mark a new chapter in the battle against illegal timber trade
Ghana will be the first country in Africa and second worldwide to provide the EU with export licences that verify the legality of their timber products. Meeting in Brussels, the implementation body of the Ghana-EU Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) on Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT), which brings together Ghanaian public authorities in charge of forest administration, the private sector, civil society and the European Commission, reached an agreement on the last steps towards issuing FLEGT licences, marking a new chapter in the battle against illegal timber trade.
Developing countries’ energy needs and priorities under a sustainable development perspective - The specific case of Africa and green hydrogen
On 20 September, a workshop on "Developing countries’ energy needs and priorities under a sustainable development perspective - The specific case of Africa and green hydrogen" took place from 10.30-12.00. The event was chaired by Tomas Tobé, Chair of the Committee on Development.
Ubi maior minor cessat: is it time for a new EU strategy in Tunisia and the Global South?
EBCAM's research assistant, Sara Lolli, has written an analysis on EU-Tunisia relationships in light of the recent developments in the Mediterranean for Eyes On Europe, the magazine of the Institut d'Etudes Européennes of the ULB.
Quality education in Africa: EU launches €100 million Regional Teachers' Initiative
Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen launched today a Regional Teachers' Initiative in Africa and for Africa, a €100 million investment from the EU budget in empowering the world's fastest growing youth population through quality education. This flagship initiative under the EU–Africa Global Gateway Investment Package aims to accelerate the training of teachers for Sub-Saharan Africa, responding to the need for 15 million new qualified teachers for Africa by 2030. The initiative will contribute to regional and national objectives by supporting and complementing national education and teacher reforms, offer opportunities for cross-country collaboration, partnerships, and peer learning in the region and with Europe.
At the launch of the initiative in Pretoria, South Africa, in the presence of the Minister of Basic Education from South Africa, the African Union Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ministers of Education from South Africa, Senegal and Botswana and representatives of EU Member States, UNESCO, teachers, and young activists, Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen said: “I am proud to launch today the Regional Teachers' Initiative, a €100 million Global Gateway investment in quality education in Africa. We want to support our partners to have in every classroom a qualified teacher, a valued professional who can empower children and young people to thrive and develop skills for a future professional life. Together we can improve learning outcomes and accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality education for all. Education is the most powerful investment in our future, and teachers are key to it. We need more teachers and quality teaching.”
Qualified teachers in greater numbers
The initiative aims to increase the number of qualified teachers by making teaching both an attractive job prospect for promising young professionals and a life-long learning experience. It puts an emphasis on teachers in basic education acquiring and transmitting digital and green skills – skills that will enable students in tomorrow's world to plug into the opportunities of the digital transformation, and engage them in the preservation of our planet. The initiative will also cover teaching in crisis contexts.
9 months after Summit: European Union and African Union Commissions take stock of the implementation of the February Summit commitments
- On 28 November 2022, African Union and European Union Commissions engaged on their strategic partnership and reviewed progress in the implementation of the joint commitments taken at the 6th EU-AU Summit in February 2022: renewed and enhanced cooperation for development, peace and security, enhanced and reciprocal partnership for migration and mobility and multilateralism and the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package in support of our common ambition for 2030 and the Africa Union's Agenda 2063.
- The 11th Commission-to-Commission meeting between the European Union and the African Union was co-chaired by President Ursula von der Leyen and Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat. 20 EU Commissioners, the AU Commission Deputy Chairperson and 5 AU Commissioners participated, which is another demonstration of the strength of our partnership.
- The Commissions noted that this year the war in Ukraine further adversely impacted the economies of Europe and Africa. They referred to national positions as expressed in the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly. The European Commission condemns in the strongest possible terms the war of aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which is illegal, unjustified and unprovoked and causing immense human suffering, and demands its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine.
- The two Commissions expressed deep concern with the challenges to global food and energy security exacerbated by current conflicts and tensions.
- In a series of working sessions, the two Commissions discussed the urgent issues facing both continents, and took stock of progress made in implementing the February Summit commitments in four key areas:
Global Gateway: EU, Cameroon and Nigeria inaugurate international Cross River Bridge to boost connectivity and socio-economic integration
On 3 November 2022, the European Union, the Governments of Cameroon and Nigeria and the African Development Bank, inaugurated the new Cross River bridge at the Mfum-Ekok border crossing between Cameroon and Nigeria. This critical infrastructure also includes a new joint border post at Mfum (Nigeria) and is part of the EU-supported Bamenda-Enugu corridor between both countries.
The new bridge and border crossing are a tangible demonstration of the EU's enhanced support to African partners. They will further develop the agro-pastoral potential of the area and boost the income of the population. They will also enhance connectivity between Nigeria and Cameroon and increase integration, commercial exchanges and themovement of goods and people between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS). As a result, the bridge will contribute to the facilitation of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
COP27: European Union concludes a strategic partnership with Namibia on sustainable raw materials and renewable hydrogen
On 8 November 2022, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President of Namibia Hage Geingob signed a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a strategic partnership between the EU and Namibia at the COP27 in Egypt.
The partnership aims to ensure the development of a secure and sustainable supply of raw materials, refined materials and renewable hydrogen to support the green and digital transformation of the partners' economies. It deepens the cooperation in areas with mutual benefits for both parties. The partnership will promote local value addition in Namibia by supporting the development of the mining and renewable hydrogen value chains. It will support sustainable raw materials value chains and facilitate investment and funding opportunities to modernise the Namibian industries and drive economic and social development.