Monday, April 10, 2006

The EU's strategy for Africa

EU aid means the difference between life and death for many Africans, argues Louis Michel:
"For all of them, "Europe cares", Europeans care. It is important to remember that when people in our countries express doubts about European integration and the added value of the EU - this is added value. For millions of people, our aid makes the difference between life and death."
- 40m euro programme for Sudan
- 38m euros for Democratic Republic of Congo
- Major programmes to help drought victims in the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes refugees living in camps in Tanzania, the frightened communities of Northern Uganda and the many highly vulnerable people still struggling to survive in Burundi and Liberia in the aftermath of long-running conflicts.

Full story at EUPolitix.com.

2 comments:

TheMalau said...

Is it just me, or is there a CLEAR impact of the fact that there is a Belgian at the Development Dept? I mean , not that it will make a real difference on the ground, but it is the first time that the GReat Lakes region becomes a - apparent - priority...

Ingrid J. Jones said...

Hello Ali, My feeling is that the fruits of the labour of everything over the past seven years or so that led up to last July's G8 meeting - when the UK had presidency and presidency of the EU - (remember Live 8 July 2006 concerts to highlight the G8 Summit and Make Poverty History Campaign) - Bob Geldof, Bono et al - and Tony's Blair Commission for Africa putting Africa center stage with an aim to scrap the Common Agricultural Policy - is all starting to come to fruition ... It's a global movement that earnestly and seriously and genuinly is trying to help Africa develop and compete in the worlds' markets.