Activities of Boris ZALA related to 2017/2083(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on the EU-Africa Strategy: a boost for development
Amendments (7)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Stresses the increasing importance of political, security and economic relations between the EU and Africa at a time when both are experiencing profound changes, and recognises the contribution made by the Joint Africa-EU Strategy to building a stronger partnership over the past 10 years; given the pivotal role of African developments for the EU and its strategic interests, expects the upcoming EU-Africa summit to provide fresh impulses and new ideas to adapt the Strategy to a fast- changing environment;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Underlines the need for a stronger and more political partnership between the EU and Africa, based on shared values and interests, in order to tackle global issues such as climate change, terrorism, radicalisation, organised crime and migratory flows, and to promote a rule- based global order based on a strong UN;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Calls on the EU to lend maximum political and technical support to regional integration initiatives in Africa, not least to overcome the dangers of protectionism and attempts at building new barriers in trade, mobility or security cooperation; opines that regional integration projects, such as those in Southern, West or East Africa, must be supported in a way that complements and strengthens pan- African integration processes in the framework of the African Union; contends that the EU should also pursue strategic bilateral ties with pivotal African states, such as South Africa, Nigeria and Ethiopia, as leaders and enablers of the respective integration projects; furthermore, as regards northern Africa, underscores the need to revive the Union for the Mediterranean as a vehicle for the pursuit of shared security and prosperity in the region, including in managing migration flows;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for continued EU support to African partners and regional organizations in the area of peace and security and conflict prevention, including through specific instruments such as CSDP operations and the African Peace Facility; highlights the importance of fostering security and stability by promoting good governance and the rule of law and helping our partners to build more resilient states and societies, including through capacity building and security sector reforms, the creation of more and better jobs, especially for young people, the empowerment of women and the support of education; points out that state capture, characterized by oligarchic control and extractive practices by parts of the state bureaucracies, lies at the root of many of Africa’s socio-economic problems and political conflicts, and should be addressed as such by the EU;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Calls for continued EU support to African partners in the area of peace and security and conflict prevention, including through specific instruments such as CSDP operations and the African Peace Facility; highlights the importance of fostering security and stability by helping our partners to build more resilient states and societies, including through capacity building and security sector reforms, by supporting our African partners in securing the energy supply through environment-friendly and sustainable resources, with simultaneously supporting off-grid solutions, the creation of more and better jobs, especially for young people, the empowerment of women and the support of education;
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Stresses that the pursuit of common interests and cooperation on security must be totally consistent with the EU’s fundamental values and with the objectives of supporting democracy and promoting human rights and the rule of law; further believes that these objectives should be pursued, to the maximum extent possible, in synergy with other external economic and political players in Africa, including China; believes that EU and China should become partners, rather than competitors, in promoting peace, stability, rule of law and inclusive economic growth in Africa; furthermore, calls for a more strategic, comprehensive and structured approach to political dialogue under the Cotonou Partnership Agreement, with the greater involvement of civil society and a stronger people-to-people dimension;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls the importance of the effective implementation of external EU policies that are able to address the real root causes of migration; calls for increased joint efforts to implement the Valetta Action Plan based on a fair and true partnership with third countries of origin and transit; recalls the importance of a balanced and holistic approach in the new partnership framework; stresses that the new partnership framework with third countries must not become the only pillar of EU action on migration and should extend beyond a quantitative approach focused mainlynarrow focus on border management;