20 Amendments of Barry ANDREWS related to 2020/2041(INI)
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Highlights that, while there are a number of dynamic middle income countries on the African continent, its economic development is still relatively weak in comparison to other parts of the world; stresses that many of its countries will therefore face almost insurmountable challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis and the effects of climate change; highlights that due to their economic situation, not all of these countries are able to take lockdown measures similar to those taken in developed countries and therefore the containment of the COVID- 19 virus has been impeded;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Welcomes the announcement from the G20 on a temporary moratorium on debt repayments for the weakest developing countries; and encourages the G20 to go further on debt relief to ensure that the basic human needs of citizens can be provided for;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Highlights that the European Union still has important economic ties with African states, and that China has intensified its economic engagement in Africa;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that the role of many African states in the international division of labour does not promote their sustainable development; calls on the Commission to create a strategy aimed at assisting the African nations with value chain development in order for more added value to be generated within the African continent;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Underlines that European companies have a responsibility for their supply chains; calls on the Commission to create an ambitious proposal on mandatory rules for due diligence for both human and social rights and environmental effects which includes provisions enabling victims in third countries to pursue civil remedies for breaches of these rules;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission to reformappropriately revise its current version of its strategy entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive Strategy with Africa’ with a view to addressing the needs of the African countries and regions in the wake of this health and economic crisis;
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls on the Commission to support Africa in its ambitions for a continental free trade area by making the necessary adjustments in order to implement its Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and make them fit the project of theensure that the EPAs will not form an obstacle towards the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area;
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Underlines that the fragmented implementation of EPAs has resulted in a lack of substantial progress in supporting regional integration, capacity-building on border cooperation, and improvements in investment climates and good governance; calls on the Commission to further assist the African countries in these areas without making this assistance fully conditional on implementation of EPAs;
Amendment 80 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. CUnderlines the vital importance of meeting the goals as set by the Paris Climate Agreement; calls for a concrete proposal that establishes common initiatives on a renewable energy supply on the African continent;
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Emphasises the need for substantial sustainable investments that enable leapfrogging in the African states; calls for an investigation on how leapfrogging can contribute to sustainable development;
Amendment 95 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)
Paragraph 10 a (new)
10 a. Recalls that the position of women can be strengthened with strong provisions on Gender & Trade in Trade Agreements; calls in this regards on the European Commission to assist the African Union with the implementation of it Strategy for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment and implement measures that contribute to the achievement of gender equality in its trade agreements with the African countries;
Amendment 101 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 b (new)
Paragraph 10 b (new)
10 b. Highlights that the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences will have an impact on the Sustainable Development Goals; calls on the Commission to make the achievement of the SDGs a guiding principle in all its policies with regard to the African countries and urges the Commission to have full regard for these goals when negotiating the post-Cotonou Agreement in order to ensure balanced and free trade with the African continent;
Amendment 105 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 c (new)
Paragraph 10 c (new)
10 c. Highlights that around 60% of the population of the African countries is under 25 years old; calls on the Commission to assist the African youth with dedicated education programs under for example Erasmus+ and to increase educational and professional mobility by means of a dedicated strategy in cooperation with the African Union, the private sector and financial institutions (for example by making available micro- credit for start-ups) with the aim of improving economic and trading opportunities;
Amendment 109 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 d (new)
Paragraph 10 d (new)
10 d. Highlights that the future partnership between the European Union and the African Union should be one that is built upon shared values with respect for human rights and good governance;
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 e (new)
Paragraph 10 e (new)
10 e. Underlines that Africa and sub- Saharan Africa in particular will have the highest population growth in the coming decades; calls in this respect for the EU to follow the Task Force for Rural Africa (TFRA) conclusions on the need of investments to Africa food chains with a focus to be given to value-added commodities;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Points out that health is a prerequisite for human development; stresses the need to build a genuine partnership in health matters and that the strengthening of health systems must be the foundation for accessible and affordable health care for all;
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Notes that the European Fund for Sustainable Development should finance investment that promotes inclusive and sustainable economic and social development whilst recognising its shortcomings in Less Developed Countries (LDCs);
Amendment 337 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
23. Points out that private investment is essential for financing efforts to achieve the SDGs and for the development of the local private sector and must be compatible with human rights and the green transition; stresses that leveraged private investment should be in addition to, rather than instead of, developed countries commitment to achieving Official Development Assistance (ODA) of 0.7% of GNI and 0.15-0.2% of GNI for Less Developed Countries (LDCs);
Amendment 345 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)
Paragraph 23 a (new)
23a. Believes that detailed consideration should be given to alleviating unsustainable debt burdens that result in major losses of public services and welfare measures;
Amendment 484 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36
Paragraph 36
36. Stresses that the partnership should promote research and innovation and access to digital services, in order to foster social inclusion, and recognises that irregular energy supplies in rural areas constitute a significant barrier to access to digital services;