2020/2041(INI) | [ParlTrack]

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Takes the view that partnerships with Africa ~~are too focused on the migratory and economic outlook, with no prospects in terms of dignity~~need a shift for more cultural level exchanges as well as educational best practices;

Amendment 10 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Takes the view that ~~we must continue to combat~~ Islamic terrorism, which promotes cultural destruction and is present throughout Africa needs to be combated with common efforts;

Amendment 11 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Calls for the establishment of a network of African and European museums, highlighting the mysterious African contribution to contemporary creation, thus leading to enriching cultural exchanges;

Amendment 12 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Stresses that these developments will, in the long term, ~~enable~~limit mass migration ~~to be limited~~ and will help ensure that the elites remain at the service of their people.;

Amendment 13 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10 a. Stresses that good governance, respect for human rights and democratic principles as well as equal access to justice foster peace and stability and act as a foundation for development, jobs and growth, and for attracting investment; stresses that boosting private sector investment is crucial in speeding up sustainable economic growth and the creation of jobs;

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Underlines that Africa has the world’s biggest young population creating a great potential, which needs to be explored for the benefit of everyone;

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Regrets that culture is absent from the five main areas of EU-Africa cooperation, while it ~~is the very expression of the physic~~remains essential, and ~~metaphysical existence of peopl~~stimulating intercultural dialogue is proven beneficial for any two parties;

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses that education is a crucial issue in Africa~~, with 54 countri~~; Stresses tha~~ving to train one billion young people in one generation~~t providing opportunities for next generations is only possible through free, high-quality and universal access to education, which subsequently leads to good and stable employment possibilities;

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Stresses that integration of young people into the labour market is key for economic development, youth autonomy and independence; is of the opinion that a lack of opportunities forces young people to migrate in search of jobs and employment depleting the African continent of a generation of talented youth;

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3 b. Calls for enhanced cooperation between the AU and the EU through quality education and training in order to create employment opportunities in matching skills with labour market needs;

Amendment 7 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Is of the opinion, however, that ~~it is dangerous~~we are not ready to extend Erasmus +, ~~at the risk of depriving Africa of its grey matter, given that one African intellectual out of two is already working outside the continent~~but must rather exchange best practices for coordinating new educational projects and keep the African young brains home where they are most needed, reducing the brain drain issue and fighting the migration problem;

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Calls for the development of a cultural bridge, by publishing – in the wake of Blaise Cendrars, Claude Lévi-Strauss and André Malraux – African traditions, literature and philosophy, promoting the preservation of Africa’s 1 ,000-2 ,500 languages, which are unfortunately unknown, and by s~~how~~preading the richness of European culture ~~to Afric~~and c~~ountries that do not have access to i~~ultural heritage through Africa’s continent;

Amendment 9 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, Pedro SILVA PEREIRA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

~~7. Calls for a renewed discovery of the ‘African genius’ of which André Malraux spoke;~~deleted

source: 652.553

2020/06/16 INTA 110 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Draft opinion
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~~Strongly supports the renewed engagement between the EU and Africa; welcomes the publication of the Communication ofn 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~~upcoming strategy; highlights the importance of a dynamic partnership to pursue common Goals between the two continents;

Amendment 10 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, Pedro SILVA PEREIRA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Highlights that the EU together with the Member States are the biggest partner to Africa in terms of trade, investment, official development assistance and security;

Amendment 100 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 b (new)

10 b. Underlines that the African continent has the youngest population in the world and thus asks the Commission to firmly integrate the interests of children and young people in the implementation plan for the Africa strategy and to make sure that substantial investments are made in building the expertise of young people given their critical role in further developing strategies for an ecologically, socially and economically sustainable future of their continent;

Amendment 101 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Jordi CAÑAS, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Svenja HAHN, Jérémy DECERLE, Dita CHARANZOVÁ

Draft opinion
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 102 #

Saskia BRICMONT, Heidi HAUTALA

10 b. Expresses its concern about the raising number of ISDS cases against African states, especially by European companies; reaffirms the right of African states to regulate to defend the public’s interest without being sued by investors, especially to answer to the economic and health crisis; calls EU governments and companies to refrain to use ISDS, and stop the numerous ISDS cases against Africa;

Amendment 103 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 b (new)

10 b. Calls on the Commission to work on solutions with African governments and stakeholders and to implement recommendations of the Task Force Rural Africa, and takes the view that stable investment and (wo)manpower to develop an African food chain for regional circuits and African ownership could best contribute to increase health and well-being of African people;

Amendment 104 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 b (new)

10 b. Stresses that a strong Africa is in the geostrategic interest of the European Union and that the EU must therefore elaborate ambitious and appropriate plans for African growth and development that diversifies the economy on the continent and increases intra-African trade;

Amendment 105 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Jordi CAÑAS, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Svenja HAHN, Jérémy DECERLE, Dita CHARANZOVÁ

Draft opinion
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 106 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 c (new)

10 c. Highlights that the EU with its Member States remains the largest donor to Africa with 31% of the total aid, recalls the importance for a paradigm shift in European development policy towards market-oriented structural reforms and good governance;

Amendment 107 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 c (new)

10 c. In view of the documented growing risk of dissemination of zoonotic pathogens in Africa, calls on the Commission to promote in African countries more stringent standards in terms of SPS, animal welfare through regulatory cooperation and dialogue;

Amendment 108 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, Pedro SILVA PEREIRA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 d (new)

10 d. Stresses that there is a need in Africa to establish intra-continental value chains allowing for the domestic processing of raw materials; notes the continued existence of significant barriers to such trade due to prevalence of tariffs and other barriers, as well as poor infrastructure and high transaction costs;

Amendment 109 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Jordi CAÑAS, Liesje SCHREINEMACHER, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Svenja HAHN, Jérémy DECERLE, Dita CHARANZOVÁ

Draft opinion
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 11 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1 b. 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, amongst them huge demographic shifts with poverty- and conflict-driven migration as well as other problems; highlights in this context that in the short run, the EU must provide immediate aid measures such as procuring tests and laboratory equipment, followed by pandemic prevention measures through the development of an infrastructure of laboratories, financing of medical training measures, information campaigns and national pandemic response plans; underlines that the economic impact of the lockdown will be profound on the African continent, given the size of the informal sector; stresses that the long term goal of the partnership between the EU and Africa must be the resilience of African economies as well as economic independence from aid and indebtedness, to which the increasing resilience of the health sector should be a side effect;

Amendment 110 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Jordi CAÑAS, Liesje SCHREINEMACHER, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Jérémy DECERLE, Dita CHARANZOVÁ

Draft opinion
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 12 #

Luisa REGIMENTI, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Hervé JUVIN, Maximilian KRAH

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Welcom~~Notes the announcement from the G20 on a temporary moratorium on debt repayments for the weakest developing countries and encourages private creditors to take part in this operation;

Amendment 13 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. ~~Welcom~~Notes the announcement from the G20 on a temporary moratorium on debt repayments for the weakest developing countries;

Amendment 14 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Welcomes the announcement from the G20 on a temporary moratorium on debt repayments for the weakest developing countries; yet notices that this debt relief accounts for only one third of the expected short-term fiscal loss; calls on the EU and its Member States to support further alleviation of African debt and to respect their long-standing and repeated commitment to devote 0.7 % of their GDP to Official Development Aid; expresses however its worries about the lack of concerted action against illicit financial flows worth 12 times the annual ODA, due to practices by Africans as well as by Europeans, among others: capital flight, tax avoidance schemes and national income loss due to tariff reduction;

Amendment 15 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Welcomes the announcement from the G20 on a temporary moratorium on debt repayments for the weakest developing countries as a first step in the good direction; calls the Commission, international donors and members’ states to go further and to consider an extension of the moratorium, in view of a full debt cancellation; calls the EU to work towards abolishing the debt burdens of developing countries in order to roll back on rich countries undue control and power over poor and restore sovereign control over economic policy at the national level;

Amendment 16 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, Pedro SILVA PEREIRA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Welcomes the announcement from the G20 on a temporary moratorium on debt repayments for the weakest developing countries as a first but necessary step in the good direction; calls the Commission, international donors and members’ states to go further and to consider an extension of the moratorium both in duration and scope for enabling African countries to combat the mid- and long-term impact of Covid-19, in view of a full debt cancellation;

Amendment 17 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Welcomes the announcement from the G20 on a temporary moratorium on debt repayments for the weakest developing countries; reiterates that debt reductions and debt cancellations are not mentioned in the current version of the Africa strategy while they are important palliatives in the COVID-19 crisis and a necessary measure beyond the pandemic since they will contribute to the policy space of African countries that is currently taken up by repaying debt;

Amendment 18 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Welcomes the announcement from the G20 on a temporary moratorium on debt repayments for the weakest developing countries; reiterates the calls on private creditors to participate in the initiative on comparable terms and for multilateral development banks, such as the IMF and World Bank, to further explore the options for the suspension of debt service payments over the suspension period;

Amendment 19 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Welcomes the announcement from the G20 on a temporary moratorium on debt repayments for the weakest developing countries; acknowledges that more needs to be done as huge sums are owed by poor countries to developed countries' private banks and investors; stresses the need to work for cancelling the debts by enforcement and not leaving it to any voluntary action;

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
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; notes that although the number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities might still appear comparatively low in Africa than in other world regions, the crisis will likely have disastrous impacts on the continent’s already strained health systems; beyond health risks, the combination of lower trade and investment from China in the immediate term, a demand slump associated with the lockdowns in the European Union and OECD countries; and a continental supply shock affecting domestic and intra-African trade, will cause severe economic pressure on Africa; therefore, the effect of the pandemic, both in the short and long term, needs to be incorporated in the EU- Africa strategy;

Amendment 20 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Jordi CAÑAS, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Jérémy DECERLE, Dita CHARANZOVÁ

Draft opinion
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 21 #

Luisa REGIMENTI, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Hervé JUVIN, Maximilian KRAH

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Highlights that due to the legacies of colonialism, neo-liberal trade policies and economic reforms pushed on these countries by global North governments and major multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and the IMF, the European Union still has important economic ties with African states, and ~~that China has intensified its economic engagement in Africa~~shall respect article 208 of TFEU that states that the Union shall take account of the objectives of development cooperation in the policies that it implements which are likely to affect developing countries;

Amendment 22 #

Draft opinion
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~~including Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), which have not turned out to be the most appropriate tools for pursuing the development process for which they were intended and which, on the contrary, are threatening existing local production and are liable to hamper the establishment of new job- and wealth-creating businesses;

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Highlights that while the European Union ~~still has important economic ties with African states, and that China has~~remains the largest investor in Africa, China is remaining a strong systemic rival and keeping on intensif~~ied~~ying its economic engagement in ~~Africa~~the region and creating a difficult investment climate and business environment for EU companies;

Amendment 24 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, Pedro SILVA PEREIRA

Draft opinion
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~~should be maintained and further enhanced in the future. Notes also the increasing presence of China in the continent;

Amendment 25 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Jordi CAÑAS, Liesje SCHREINEMACHER, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Svenja HAHN, Jérémy DECERLE, Dita CHARANZOVÁ

Draft opinion
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 26 #

Draft opinion
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, while the EU Member States have shown only very selective interests for trade with- and investments in the African states, which is why the trade volume between the EU and most African states remains relatively small; underlines that the EU needs an entirely new foundation for its economic partnership with Africa, meaning that it needs to take the final step away from a dependency-based relationship and arrive in the new reality in which the EU and Africa need to develop a mutually beneficial sustainable partnership; underlines that the prerequisite of this partnership is the substantial further sustainable development in all African states;

Amendment 27 #

Draft opinion
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; notes, however, that the EU remains Africa’s most important partner in terms of investment, trade, development assistance and security; notes that as a continent with strong growth in many regions and a rapid-ly growing population, including an expanding middle class, Africa is set to play a larger economic role in the world, notes that Europe therefore has a strategic interest in pursuing closer ties and should seek to apply modern arrangements for coopera-tion in new fields and growth areas to ensure a productive transformation of the region, and building human, societal and economic resilience for future global crises;

Amendment 28 #

Draft opinion
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; believes that now more than ever after the Covid- 19, on a global level, and especially with regard to Africa, new approaches should be taken to re-shape economic, commercial and trade relations towards Fair and Ethical Trade based on principles of solidarity and cooperation;

Amendment 29 #

Draft opinion
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; in this context stresses that the EU and the African continent should develop an ambitious joint strategy aiming at reinforcing not only a global political dialogue but also targeted aid and investment, particularly in education;

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
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; stresses the primary sources of entrenched poverty in the region are: climate change, unsustainable, exploitative and crushing repayment conditions on aid and loans, punishing tariff regimes and the effects of having to compete on the global agricultural goods market against heavily subsidised products from global North countries, the regressive reforms pushed by the World Bank on the agriculture sectors of these countries so they are forced to grow plantation crops for export and import food domestic use food from abroad, the exploitation of natural resources by foreign mining corporations and fossil fuel companies;

Amendment 30 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Highlights that the European Union still has important economic ties with African states, which according to the African Union must urgently be upgraded from the provision of raw materials at the beginning of value chains to the support of transformation and trade in transformed product, and that China has intensified its economic engagement in Africa;

Amendment 31 #

Draft opinion
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; stresses the need to respond to these challenges while respecting policy coherence for development;

Amendment 32 #

Luisa REGIMENTI, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Hervé JUVIN, Maximilian KRAH, Roman HAIDER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Is of the view that Chinese presence and investments in Africa have increased considerably and that there is a need to remain vigilant as to the economic, social and environmental impact of the Chinese approach in Africa, in order to preserve the commercial interests of African states and of EU Member States;

Amendment 33 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Calls on the Commission to implement measures to further develop and modernise the logistics hubs of EU Member States on the Mediterranean, in order to facilitate trade to and from Africa;

Amendment 34 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Underlines that the role of many African states in the international division of labour ~~does not promote their~~as well as in the international global supply chains is weak due to inter- alia low productivity, lack of targeted investment and a skilled labour force. Hence, much of the continent’s opportunities remain untapped and sustainable development is not promoted;

Amendment 35 #

Luisa REGIMENTI, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Hervé JUVIN, Maximilian KRAH, Roman HAIDER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Underlines that the role of many African states in the international division of labour does not promote ~~their~~economic development in those states that is sustainable ~~development~~over time;

Amendment 36 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, Pedro SILVA PEREIRA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Underlines th~~at the role of many African states in the int~~e importance of sustainable job creation and investment in accelernat~~ional division of labour does not promote their sustainable developm~~ed economic development in the countries of the African continent;

Amendment 37 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Underlines that the role of many African states in the international division of labour does not promote their sustainable development as long as it means that they export raw materials and some unprocessed agricultural commodities, while the EU exports manufactured goods, services and agricultural overcapacities; underlines that the EU must support the diversification of inner-African value chains by means of public investment in improved infrastructures and the development of a sustainable energy- supply; calls on the Commission to facilitate through the channels at its disposal the development of regional value chains as inner-regional trade on the African continent remains marginal and is a prerequisite for sustainable development and long term economic independence;

Amendment 38 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Underlines that the role of many African states in the international division of labour does not promote their sustainable development; recalls the need to better integrate African economies into global value chains, providing greater emphasis on African added value, e.g. through special and differential treatment; believes that the revised General Scheme of Preferences (GSP), with a reviewed set of binding principles and conventions and an extended monitoring mechanism, would greatly contribute to uphold human, social and environmental rights; stresses that binding due diligence in line with OECD standards is not only a tool to promote decent work, but also increase the general security situation on many Sub Saharan countries;

Amendment 39 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Underlines that the long standing role of many African states in the international division of labour does not promote their sustainable development, and that the more recent export of waste, much of it hazardous waste, causes additional damage to people and the environment; that SDGs should lie at the heart of the renewed EU-Africa Strategy, including in its trade dimension;

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

Amendment 40 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Jordi CAÑAS, Liesje SCHREINEMACHER, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Svenja HAHN, Jérémy DECERLE, Dita CHARANZOVÁ

Draft opinion
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 41 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Notes that African countries, albeit accounting for more than 50% of the General Scheme of Preferences (GSP) beneficiaries, only represent less than 5% of EU’s GSP imports; invites the Commission to assist beneficiaries’ actors, inter alia on adherence with rules of origin and technical barriers; regrets that the GSP has not so far contributed to the economic diversification of African beneficiary countries; reiterates its call on the Commission to consider expanding the list of products to be covered by the GSP Regulation;

Amendment 42 #

Samira RAFAELA, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Svenja HAHN, Jérémy DECERLE

Draft opinion
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 43 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Calls the Commission to support the democratisation of the World Bank, the IMF and the WTO, and allow global South countries - who are the world’s majority - to have a fair and equal representation in these institutions so they can have a real say in the formulation of policies that affect them;

Amendment 44 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Stresses that the EU and the African Union share the common interest of a stable and rules-based multilateral trading system that is centered on the World Trade Organization (WTO);

Amendment 45 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, Pedro SILVA PEREIRA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. CReiterates that eradication of poverty , human development and the achievement of SDGs must remain the core of EU-Africa relations; calls on the Commission to reform its current version of its strategy entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive Strategy with Africa’ with a view to addressing the needs of the African regions also in the wake of thise current Covid-19 health and economic crisis; believes that priority should be given to the fight against poverty, in addressing social exclusion and inequality, promote gender equality, climate change mitigation and adaptation, fight against hunger and food sovereignty;

Amendment 46 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Commission to ~~reform its current version of its strategy entitled~~adapt its priorities set out in the Communication ‘Towards a comprehensive Strategy with Africa’ ahead of the planned EU-AU Summit with a view to addressing the needs of the African regions in the wake of this health and economic crisis; but also with regard to the danger of upcoming threats to food security; notes that the common plan for economic recovery needs to remain in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement;

Amendment 47 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Commission to reform its current version of its strategy entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive Strategy with Africa’ with a view to addressing the ~~needs of the African regions in the~~root causes of economic, social and health weak~~e of this health and economic crisi~~nesses and instability by strengthening resilience of local communities and respecting the sensibilities of local partners;

Amendment 48 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Jordi CAÑAS, Liesje SCHREINEMACHER, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Svenja HAHN, Jérémy DECERLE, Dita CHARANZOVÁ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Commission to ~~reform~~appropriately 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 49 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Commission to reform its current version of its strategy entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive Strategy with Africa’ with a view to addressing the needs of the African regions in the wake of this health and economic crisis in particular in the infrastructure sectors such as renewable energy, windmills and solar panels where EU has expertise and better standards than China; points out the role of digitizing food and agriculture to face the current Covid-19 pandemic in the continent and underlines the need to support investments in order to make smallholder crops and livestock more productive, improve nutrition and help empower women farmers;

Amendment 5 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Jordi CAÑAS, Liesje SCHREINEMACHER, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Svenja HAHN, Jérémy DECERLE, Dita CHARANZOVÁ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

Amendment 50 #

5. Calls on the Commission to reform its current version of its strategy entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive Strategy with Africa’ with a view to addressing the needs and economic rights of the African regions in the wake of this health and economic crisis, and to introduce a clear gender perspective to address the differentiated impacts of the crisis and the recovery as well as the different roles and burdens of men and women in this crisis; calls on the Commission to allow at least temporary African countries to levy export taxes on commodities to cushion the impacts of the multiple crises and to prepare the recovery;

Amendment 51 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Takes the view that the EU should direct its efforts to creating social and economic conditions that enable African citizens to have a decent future on their own continent, without being forced to emigrate; stresses that tackling the root causes of emigration depends closely and directly on the stability and economic development of the African continent;

Amendment 52 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

Amendment 53 #

Draft opinion
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~~reform its Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) ~~and make them fit the project of the Continental Free Trad~~patterns so that they do not present an obstacle to endogenous and self- determined economic project in the whole of the African region; considering that South Africa accounts for one third of intra-African exports, draws the attention of developing multiple development poles in order to make the whole continent more Areasilient;

Amendment 54 #

6. ~~Calls on the Commission to support Africa in its ambitions for a c~~Welcomes the African Continental fFree tTrade ~~area by making the necessary adjustments in order to implement its Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and make them fit the project of the Continental Free Trade Area~~Agreement, in force since May 2019, which created a significant momentum for the continental integration; stresses the importance to increase intra- African trade, diversify exports, improve sustainability, product safety and quality, and a kevel playing field;

Amendment 55 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO

Draft opinion
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~~; recalls the importance of an integrated free trade area for Africa that facilitates international trade and inclusive development; regrets theat pro~~ject~~gress on the implementation of the Ccontinental Ffree Ttrade Aarea has been very slow;

Amendment 56 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Svenja HAHN, Jérémy DECERLE, Dita CHARANZOVÁ

Draft opinion
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 the~~ensure that the EPAs will not form an obstacle towards the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area;

Amendment 57 #

Luisa REGIMENTI, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Hervé JUVIN, Maximilian KRAH, Roman HAIDER

Draft opinion
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~~to the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) and make them fit the project of the Continental Free Trade Area;

Amendment 58 #

Draft opinion
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 the Continental Free Trade Area; by offering technical support for making the necessary fiscal adjustments to the abolition of customs duties, to help implement resilient fiscal systems that tackle the dramatic problem of tax evasion and to reduce the dependency of remittances; underlines the necessity of implementing technical assistance on border cooperation and other technical issues for the sake of regional value chain development;

Amendment 59 #

Draft opinion
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 the Continental Free Trade Area; underlines that as part of the Continental Free Trade Area, European direct investment should support better regional infrastructure development that will help industrial production and increase economic growth in primary, and in turn secondary, industries in Africa;

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

Amendment 60 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6 a. Calls on the Commission to stop supporting the Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) project which gives no guarantees against incentives to race to the bottom for third country partners, would accentuate the vast presence of multinational companies in Africa which are maximizing economic relations with western countries even further, to the detriment of intra-regional trade, potentially hampering continental integration by facilitating profits for multinationals already present in most African countries and encouraging them to concentrate their activities in the most competitive, will in the end help create a large African market, but with relatively few African products traded;

Amendment 61 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6 a. Calls for the systematic inclusion of binding and enforceable mechanisms for the implementation of TSD chapters on human rights, labour and environmental standards in all currently negotiated and future EPAs; reiterates the need of an in-depth analysis on the impact of EPAs and trade liberalization agreements in African countries on local economies, on biodiversity loss, deforestation and land grabbing, and the need to review these agreements to be coherent with development policies ad SDGs;

Amendment 62 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6 b. Recalls that trade liberalization has an impact on deforestation, climate change and biodiversity loss as well as on food production and access to food; believes that the EU-Africa partnership should be based on a commercial policy that favours the defence of forests and biodiversity, the development of local agriculture and local producers and farmers, to promote a full food sovereignty and to reduce the phenomenon of land grabbing and deforestation for agricultural export use;

Amendment 63 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Underlines that so far, the fragmented implementation of ~~EPA~~the Economic Partnership Agreements has resulted in a lack of substantial progress in supporting regional integration, technical assistance, capacity-building on border cooperation, ~~and~~knowledge and data- management and cooperation for improvements in investment climates and good governance; asks the Commission to primarily increase the speed of implementation of these vital aspects;

Amendment 64 #

Luisa REGIMENTI, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Hervé JUVIN, Maximilian KRAH

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Underlines that the ~~fragmented~~ implementation of EPAs ~~has resulted in a lack of substantial~~, which have the potential to boost trade and investment and encouraging the creation of regional value chains, has not resulted in the desired progress in supporting regional integration, capacity- building on border cooperation, and improvements in investment climates and good governance; notes, however, that where EPAs have trade liberalisation accompanied by internal reforms, higher degrees of exports are recorded;

Amendment 65 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Underlines that the ~~fragmented implementation of EPAs has~~inadequacy of the EPAs has undermined the already delicate process of continental integration and resulted in a lack of substantial progress in ~~supporting regional integration,~~ capacity-building on border cooperation, and improvements in investment climates and good governance;

Amendment 66 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

Amendment 67 #

Draft opinion
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; believes that the serious concerns raised by EPAs in place or under negotiation need to be overcome (including regional integration concerns, Rules of Origin complications, non tariff barriers, and little in-built protection for infant industries) and addressed in the strategy;

Amendment 68 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. UEmphasizes that EPAs and GSP remain the two pillars of the trade relationship between the European Union and African states and should be further developed; 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;

Amendment 69 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Jérémy DECERLE

Draft opinion
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 7 #

Emmanuel MAUREL, Helmut SCHOLZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

Amendment 70 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

Amendment 71 #

Draft opinion
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; therefore insists to support the integration of African economies on a regional scale in order to make them stronger on the international scale;

Amendment 72 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7 a. Recalls that the criteria of "reciprocity" for trade agreements with the ACP countries led to a reduction or even the abolition of customs duties on their imports, to no longer introducing new export taxes, thereby depriving States of tax revenue and exposing the fragile agricultural and industrial sectors to competition from subsidized European products and therefore aggravating social poverty, the EU development aid policy is therefore repairing the damage that its trade policy has helped to create;

Amendment 73 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7 a. Calls the EU to review export taxes restrictions and WTO + TRIPS+ provisions in the current and future EPAs and FTAs, to allow African and developing countries to better answer to the economic and health crisis and make full use of compulsory licensing, as well as to guarantee full and just access to medical intellectual property through granted emergency exemption from IPR protections on covid-19 medical supplies to support domestic production;

Amendment 74 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Stresses that new EPAs with African countries should include clauses concerning the real cooperation of African countries in managing and controlling migration flows, in order to prevent economic migrants from constantly coming to Europe;

Amendment 75 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, Pedro SILVA PEREIRA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7 b. Calls the EU to ensure - through debt cancellation and stopping illicit tax flows - that countries have the financial freedom to give subsidies to their farmers in order to allow emerging agricultural businesses to grow strong enough to supply their own people and facilitate stronger inner-African trade in agricultural goods;

Amendment 76 #

Luisa REGIMENTI, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Hervé JUVIN, Maximilian KRAH, Roman HAIDER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for a concrete proposal that establishes common initiatives on a ~~renewable~~n energy supply ~~on the~~that is suited to the specific territorial, geographic and demographic features and needs of African count~~inent~~ries;

Amendment 77 #

8. Calls for a concrete proposal that establishes common initiatives on a renewable energy supply on the African continent; and the promotion of innovation geared towards it, including both a concrete plan to publicly finance those initiatives and a plan on how to get into closer cooperation with regard to the future common usage of the resulting renewable energy; reiterates that sustainable development without comprehensive access to energy is not possible and encourages the Commission to come up with an ambitious plan for implementing this sustainable energy partnership;

Amendment 78 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for a concrete proposal that establishes common initiatives on a renewable energy supply on the African continent, in parallel to the swift phasing out of all investments in fossil fuel related projects, offering technology transfer and patent pooling for free technology; and expects a similar initiative on patent pooling and free licenses for medicines and medical equipment to solve the virulent health crisis;

Amendment 79 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for a concrete proposal that establishes common initiatives on a renewable energy supply on the African continent reminding the need to ensure easy access to electricity, to focus on resilient infrastructures, clear, sustainable and secure energy access;

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Stresses that the EU is Africa’s largest trading partner, the main investor on the African continent and the most important destination market for products manufactured in this part of the world, and it is estimated that by 2050 there will be 2.5 billion people living in Africa;

Amendment 80 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Jordi CAÑAS, Liesje SCHREINEMACHER, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Svenja HAHN, Jérémy DECERLE, Dita CHARANZOVÁ

Draft opinion
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 81 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, Pedro SILVA PEREIRA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8 a. Stresses the need to address the challenges of nutrition and food security by boosting the current agri-food systems, helping food affordability in this pandemic situation, promote local sustainable production and intra-Africa exchange which provide, at the same time, direct employments and income particularly in rural areas, reducing poverty and immigration;

Amendment 82 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Emphasises the need for substantial sustainable investments ~~that enable leapfrogging in the African states;~~ possibly in the form of investment partnerships with regard to infrastructure, a sustainable agricultural sector as well as comprehensive energy supply from renewable sources; underlines the necessity of sustainable innovation projects that enable leapfrogging with the specific goal of ecological and social sustainability in the African states underlines that the EU needs to pursue public investments in the development of general infrastructures and specifically cross-border infrastructures in order to facilitate regional trade and thereby the diversification of value chains; highlights that the promotion of foreign direct investment amongst other programs by the External Investment Plan should be linked to local entrepreneurship, SMEs, smallholder agriculture, the local services sector, the local manufacturing industry as well as sustainable innovation projects in order to facilitate the diversification of value chains on the continent as well as for the sake of the creation of decent employment opportunities;

Amendment 83 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Emphasises the need for substantial sustainable investments that enable leapfrogging in the African states; reminds the role played by a value-adding private sector to stimulate PP investments and economic diversification, recalls the need to help SMEs which are suffering from a lack of public and political support, transparent regulatory framework, lack of level-playing field and rising of unauthorized companies; in this regard, underlines the role of European Business organisations to work closely with their African counterparts through ad-hoc platforms and initiatives to increase trade fair and exhibition systems;

Amendment 84 #

Luisa REGIMENTI, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Hervé JUVIN, Maximilian KRAH, Roman HAIDER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Emphasises the need for substantial sustainable investments that enable ~~leapfrogging in the African states;~~ African states to promote job creation, develop their production and processing sectors in situ and manage their resources more effectively, in order to achieve the objectives of greater 'economic autonomy';

Amendment 85 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Emphasises the need for substantial sustainable investments that enable leapfrogging in the African states, while strengthening public health and public education sectors, clean water infrastructure and supply, transport and energy infrastructures and carving them out from any privatization;

Amendment 86 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Jordi CAÑAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9

9. Emphasises the need for substantial sustainable investments ~~that~~in key areas, such as research and development, and the need to foster innovation policies to facilitate the deployment of frontier technologies and enable “leapfrogging” in the African states;

Amendment 87 #

Draft opinion
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 88 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9 a. Stresses the vital role of digital transformation and digitalisation for sustainable development and resilience of societies that has been especially visible during the current global situation triggered by the COVID-19 crisis; calls for a continued, strengthened, systematic and mutually beneficial cooperation with the African states on digitalisation, innovative technologies and solutions at all levels of society, including on e- governance, e-commerce, digital skills and cyber security, in line with the Digitalisation for Development (D4D) approach;

Amendment 89 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, Pedro SILVA PEREIRA

9 a. Reiterates its call for an EU legal framework based on corporate mandatory due diligence on human rights violations in supply chains and provide access to justice for victims; believes that such obligations should be cross-sectorial and apply in particular to the financial sector; invites the Commission to continue and reinforce its engagement in the negotiations for the establishment of a UN Binding Treaty on Transnational Corporations and OBE with respect to Human Rights;

Amendment 9 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Highlights the importance of ecologically and socially sustainable trade relations with the African continent; calls on the Commission to proceed with its legislative proposal on mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence obligations for EU companies;

Amendment 90 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, Pedro SILVA PEREIRA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Underlines that empowering civil society, and thereby including a social counterpart into investment structures, is a vital aspect of EU policies towards and with the African states., therefore asks the Commission to involve civil society at all levels of the political dialogue, especially when trade agreements are prepared, monitored and evaluated; calls for a bigger role for civil society in the Aid for Trade system;

Amendment 91 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Underlines that empowering civil society, organizations, academia and think tanks and thereby including a social counterpart in investment and sustainable development, is a vital aspect of EU policies and intensifying cooperation towards and with the African states.;

Amendment 92 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. UIs concerned that as reported by the Africa-EU Civil Society Forum, the space for civil society organisations has shrunk and that their visibility remains weak; underlines that empowering civil society, and thereby including a social counterpart in investment~~, is a~~ and a gender perspective, are vital aspects of EU policies towards and with the African states.;

Amendment 93 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10

10. Underlines that empowering civil society, and ~~thereby including a social counterpart in investment~~private sector, in particular the SMEs, is a vital aspect of EU policies towards and with the African states.;

Amendment 94 #

Joachim SCHUSTER, Mihai TUDOSE, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Inma RODRÍGUEZ-PIÑERO, Pedro SILVA PEREIRA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10 a. Highlights the importance of supporting African countries capacity to increase domestic resource mobilisation, in order to increase investments in universal public basic services; calls the EU to support African countries on combatting illicit financial flows, EU companies and multinationals tax evasion, to ensure taxes are paid where profits and real economic value is created, in order to stop base erosion and profit- shifting;

Amendment 95 #

Samira RAFAELA, Karin KARLSBRO, Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE, Barry ANDREWS, Jordi CAÑAS, Urmas PAET, Nicola DANTI, Svenja HAHN

Draft opinion
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 96 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10 a. Recognizes the critical role of women and girls in sustainable growth and development; emphasizes that the empowerment of women and girls must be mainstreamed throughout the implementation of the Africa strategy; underlines that the economic independence of women must be fostered by the promotion of female entrepreneurs;

Amendment 97 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10 a. Is concerned by the CAP- supported export of European milk powder to West Africa, the tripling of export since the EU lifted the milk quotas in 2015 having disastrous consequences for local herders and farmers who can’t compete; calls on the Commission to work on solutions with African governments and stakeholders;

Amendment 98 #

Luisa REGIMENTI, Marco CAMPOMENOSI, Hervé JUVIN, Maximilian KRAH

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10 a. Calls on the Member States and African countries to accelerate the ratification of EPAs and demands that the Commission puts forth an ambitious timetable for the implementation of such agreements;

Amendment 99 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 10 a (new)

10a. Highlights the need to promote, support and encourage female and youth entrepreneurship;

source: 653.807

2020/06/29 AGRI 106 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Draft opinion
Citation 1 a (new)

- having regard to the report of the Task Force Rural Africa of 7 March 2019,

Amendment 10 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Deplores the fact~~Stresses that the Commission continues to promote free trade with the ultimate aim of establishing a comprehensive free-trade area between the two continents; points out that free- trade agreements disrupt local agriculture, are damaging to small producers and exacerbate the African continent’s dependency on food impor, bringing economic advantages and complying with exacting EU quality and environmental standards, with the ultimate aim of establishing a comprehensive free-trade area between the two continents;

Amendment 100 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5 b. Believes that the production, processing and distribution of agricultural food are seen as one of the main sources of job creation for people in rural areas, education and regional economic integration, while young people and women must receive more support as key actors of change;

Amendment 101 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5 b. Highlights the risk that some agricultural surplus, such as milk powder, generated during the Covid crises are exported to less developed countries, competing with local productions and creating collateral damages to producers, and therefore asks the European Commission to reflect on a destocking strategy in order to avoid a negative effect on local small farms in poor countries.

Amendment 102 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5 b. Underlines that new EU-Africa partnership must recognise the multiple roles and contributions of civil society organisations and therefore the need to involve them at all levels of political and policy dialogue and in the preparation, monitoring and evaluation of implementation plans;

Amendment 103 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5 b. Calls on the EU-Africa Partnership to put a strong emphasis on agricultural and rural development in order to promote economic stability and quality of life in rural areas.

Amendment 104 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5 c. Stresses that women who work in subsistence agriculture face additional hurdles in maintaining food sovereignty due to the strong protection of new plant varieties by the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) in trade agreements;

Amendment 105 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5 c. Encourages African and European professional agricultural organisations to cooperate in order to promote their roles in responding to the common challenges of agricultural sustainability and to develop exchanges of practices on the organisation of value chains and production.

Amendment 106 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5 c. Points out that change in Africa is best achieved when good governance and a transparent distribution of aid is rewarded and abuse punished;

Amendment 11 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Recalls the importance of food sovereignty, a principle based on the capacity of each country or region to feed its population and to do so to the largest extent possible through its own resources; emphasises that this principle is especially important for the African continent which is still the region in the world most affected by malnutrition and which is expected to see very significant demographic growth in the coming years, notably in the sub-Saharan region;

Amendment 12 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Supports the development of trade opportunities between the continents, while including protection and safeguards for sensitive agricultural products to enable regions to enhance and extend their production potential; points out that trade agreements have the potential to boost local agriculture, but need to uphold the principle of fair trade avoiding disrupting local agriculture, and at the same time assure the availability of sustainably produced food;

Amendment 13 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Recalls the new European Consensus on Development, in which the EU and its Member States reaffirm their commitment to Policy Coherence for Development (PCD), which requires consideration of all development cooperation objectives in policy areas that are likely to have an impact on developing countries;

Amendment 14 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Points out the central importance of the agricultural and food sector in the economy and society of both Africa and the EU, considers that the development of a sustainable agricultural sector and of rural areas is at the cornerstone of job creation potential and sustainable development in Africa and should therefore be at the centre of the EU- Africa cooperation;

Amendment 15 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Highlights that the African population is expected to rise to 2.5 billion in 2050 and stresses the important role of agriculture and rural development to provide food and generate income; asks the Commission to update the title of the first partnership proposed to duly reflect the importance of access to food;

Amendment 16 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Calls for the EU-Africa partnership in agriculture to promote the transition to sustainable agricultural and food systems, which focus on the development of short supply chains, local production and distribution, for local consumption;

Amendment 17 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1 a. Calls on the EU to intensify cooperation between the two continents in a sustained manner and to demonstrate the advantages of regional economic cycles and to promote sustainable and climate-friendly investments;

Amendment 18 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Stresses that food sovereignty promotes development in line with one's own needs and avoids harming Africans' ways of life and modes of subsistence, and also allows the practice of 'dumping' — given the advantageous position of European producers afforded by CAP subsidies, science, know-how and technological means — to be avoided; recalls in this connection that it is not the role of Europe to 'feed the world' but to allow regions and countries to feed themselves; notes therefore the importance of creating regional and local markets in Africa in order to render local distribution networks and food security more resilient;

Amendment 19 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1 b. Emphasises that the EU's intensive export-oriented farming model is, for its part, dependent on the importation of large volumes of protein feed; stresses that our consumption patterns tie down substantial third- country resources; underscores the fact that people in third countries can be adversely affected by European global resource consumption and underlines the responsibility that arises from this;

Amendment 2 #

Draft opinion
Citation 2 a (new)

- having regard to the decision of the United Nations General Assembly to proclaim the Decade of Family Farming for the period from 2019 to 2028,

Amendment 20 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1 b. Requests that the European Commission, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and commitments made in the Farm to Fork Strategy, will through its external and trade policies actively work together with African partners in the transition to sustainable agri-food systems, which benefit people, nature and economic growth;

Amendment 21 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1 b. Welcomes the setting up of the African Union-European Union agrifood platform, following the recommendations of the Task Force Rural Africa, linking the African and European agrifood private sectors to boost twinning, the exchange of best practices and sustainable and inclusive investments in African agriculture;

Amendment 22 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1 b. Stresses that shaping a climate- neutral future is important, while a circular economy with sustainable value chains must be key to a sustainable economic model so that the conditions for mutual trade are put on a fruitful basis;

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1 b. Calls for the European Union and its member states to create synergies between the EU-Africa strategy and the Green Deal(in particular the external dimension of the "Farm to fork"strategy), accompanied by concrete actions to guarantee the right to healthy, resilient and sustainable food for all ;

Amendment 24 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1 c. Calls on the EU to develop a concrete strategic position in order further to promote the sustainable management of natural resources and improve cooperation between the EU and Africa with a view to an efficient and secure raw materials sector and ensuring access to renewable energies and sustainable value chains;

Amendment 25 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1 c. Welcomes the focus in the strategy on the role of digitalisation in agriculture and the management of natural resources; calls for enhanced opportunities to enable in particular young farmers to tap into the opportunities of digitalisation to use scarce resources in a most efficient way while ensuring increased food production;

Amendment 26 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1 c. Is deeply concerned about the high dependence of African states on food imports, especially from the European Union, particularly when these imports are made up of subsidized products whose low price represents harmful competition for small-scale agriculture in Africa;

Amendment 27 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1 c. Highlights the importance and potential of the agricultural and food sector in promoting youth and women employment and in providing them with decent and sustainable jobs opportunities in rural areas;

Amendment 28 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1c. Deplores the overproduction of meat and milk in the European Union and its aggressive export model which damages the African market and local producers;

Amendment 29 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)

1 c. Believes that the signing of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) opens up new opportunities for regional economic integration and intra- African trade; stresses that this agreement creates a secure environment for investment, increased local value creation and employment;

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Citation 2 a (new)

- having regard to the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 20301a, _________________ 1aEU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Bringing ature back into our lives (COM(2020) 380 final)

Amendment 30 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)

1d. Calls on the EU to develop a geostrategic approach to agriculture in order to support a thoroughly reformed common agricultural policy committed to sustainability keeping the sustainable development of African farming in its quest for self-sufficiency intact;

Amendment 31 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 e (new)

1e. Supports agro-ecological practices as the foundation for ecological, social and economic sustainability in Africa and in Europe, and the multifunctional solutions offered by this approach already promoted by UNEP and the FAO, to make African agriculture more resilient to climate shocks, better able to protect its soils by combating erosion and desertification, more bio-diverse and thus reduce the risk to producers by making them more self-sufficient and adaptable to climate change; considers that the European Union must significantly develop cooperation with Africa on such agro-ecological practices;

Amendment 32 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 f (new)

1f. Stresses the importance of the role of seeds as regards sustainable agriculture and food production and the control of living things by farmers; points out that the exchange of seed of local varieties is indeed a way for farmers not to be dependent on the agro-industrial sector, an appropriate means of adopting a food security policy and, finally, of adapting production to pedoclimatic conditions and rapid climate change;

Amendment 33 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 g (new)

1g. Highlights the potential of agroecological approaches, inter alia permaculture and agro-forestry, conservation and sharing of seeds, organic farming to improve the diversity of the diet of rural communities, moving away from monocultures and promoting food autonomy;

Amendment 34 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 h (new)

1h. Recalls the resolution (2015/2277 (INI)) adopted on 16 April 2016 by the DEVE Committee of the European Parliament and on 7 June 2016 concerning the NAFSN and contests the support of GMOs by the EU and more generally the G8 in Africa;

Amendment 35 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 i (new)

1i. Recalls the importance of agroforestry and permaculture approaches in mixed gardens which are excellent for food safety for small farmers and communities; stresses that certain trees are also leguminous plants which capture atmospheric nitrogen, thereby eliminating the need for chemical fertilisers, which destroy soil life and increase farmers’ production costs by adding to the dependency on input products; stresses that the lack of trees in rural environments leads to desertification and extreme soil erosion; stresses that this is partly due to the need of local populations for fire wood and also due to pressure from overgrazing; notes the need for simple, fair, effective and integrated rural development solutions on the ground;

Amendment 36 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 j (new)

1j. Warns against a neo-colonialist approach and new forms of input dependency (seeds, fertilisers, pesticides), but also with regard to financing and farmers going into debt in the pursuit of digital technologies; stresses that they should not seek to promote or firmly establish existing or new dependencies, but should rather allow farmers and their communities to be autonomous;

Amendment 37 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Is particularly concerned about the fact that deforestation is gaining pace in Africa and in Europe; is equally alarmed by the role of European policies, in particular the biofuels policy (Directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and indirect land use change (ILUC)), and stresses, in particular, the effects of fuel production on global deforestation and food crops; points out that the destruction of the African rainforests leads to an irreversible loss of biodiversity and of carbon sinks and of the habitat and ways of life of indigenous communities living in the forests; calls on the Commission to submit, without delay, a proposal for a European due diligence framework in order to guarantee sustainable and deforestation- free supply chains for all products placed on the EU market;

Amendment 38 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Is particularly concerned about the fact that deforestation is gaining pace in Africa; points out that the destruction of the African rainforests leads to an irreversible loss of biodiversity and of carbon sinks; calls on the Commission to submit, without delay, a proposal for a European binding due diligence framework ~~in order to guarantee sustainable and deforestation-free supply chains for all products placed on the EU market~~based on OECD guidelines and Responsible Business Conduct, for European companies to identify, prevent and report on breaches of human rights and environmental rights in the global supply chains including subcontracting chains, applied to all economic actors in all sectors especially those considered as high risk in the developing countriessuch as raw materials, cacao, coffee, and forestry;

Amendment 39 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Is particularly concerned about the fact that deforestation is gaining pace in Africa; points out that the destruction of the African rainforests leads to an irreversible loss of biodiversity and of carbon sinks; calls on the Commission to submit, without delay, a proposal for a European due diligence framework in order to guarantee sustainable and deforestation- free supply chains for all products placed on the EU market; recalls the importance of ensuring the complementarity between agriculture, wildlife and biodiversity conversation and insists on the need to promote sustainable agricultural practices such as agroforestry in Africa;

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Deplores the fact that the Commission continues to promote free trade without weighing the social, environmental and economic impact in the agrifood sector and heedful of the ultimate aim of establishing a comprehensive free-trade area between the two continents; points out that free- trade agreements ~~disrupt~~can destabilise local agriculture, arend damag~~ing to small producers and exacerbate the African continent’s dependency on~~ e inland regions which are poorer and whose agriculture is less productive. The Commission should seek EU-Africa trade relations which do not encourage the concentration of African food production on a handful of products aimed at agrifood imexports;.

Amendment 40 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Is particularly concerned about the fact that deforestation is gaining pace in Africa, underlines that during COVID-19 crisis, in March 2020 Congo basin was the 2nd highest deforested region in the world, with higher than double the deforested area in comparison to previous years1a; points out that the destruction of the African rainforests leads to an irreversible loss of biodiversity and of carbon sinks; calls on the Commission to submit, without delay, a proposal for a European due diligence framework in order to guarantee sustainable and deforestation- free supply chains for all products placed on the EU market; _________________ 1aas reported by WWF, available here: https://www.wwf.de/fileadmin/fm- wwf/Publikationen-PDF/WWF-Analyse- Waldverlust-in-Zeiten-der-Corona- Pandemie.pdf

Amendment 41 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

Amendment 42 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Is particularly concerned about the fact that deforestation is gaining pace in Africa to a greater extent than in any other continent; points out that the destruction of the African rainforests leads to an irreversible loss of biodiversity and of carbon sinks; calls on the Commission to submit, without delay, a proposal for a European due diligence framework in order to guarantee sustainable and deforestation- free supply chains for all products placed on the EU market; and demands binding provisions in trade agreements with African states;

Amendment 43 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 – point 1 (new)

(1) In addition to preventing deforestation, there is a common interest to promote reforestation, afforestation and sustainable forest management and the whole wood-based value chain for economic growth, job creation and increased food security; as forest also contribute significantly to reaching climate targets and protecting biodiversity noting that joint efforts by the EU and Africa should support the development of climate-resilient agriculture and forestry, sustainable rural development and safe food systems, which are crucial for the eradication of poverty, hunger and malnutrition;

Amendment 44 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Stresses that the European Union should ensure that the same high safety and sustainability standards in food production, both for the product and the production method, should apply, particularly in the light of the higher ambition of the Farm to Fork Strategy and Biodiversity Strategy for 2030;

Amendment 45 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Highlights the positive contribution of expertise of the European agricultural sector and stresses the need to prioritise partnerships in research and innovation in agriculture, including through Horizon Europe, in order to avoid to avoid food losses before and post harvest and increase farm outputs;

Amendment 46 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Calls on the EU to invest more in programmes for a more climate-resilient, more sustainable and more extensive agriculture, sustainable diversification, agroecology and agroforestry, with the aim of stopping the expansion of land use at the expense of forests;

Amendment 47 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Calls on the Commission to develop joint action plans to protect and improve the management of forests, waters and marine ecosystems under the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals;

Amendment 48 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2 a. Underlines that the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in intensive agriculture in Africa causes a deterioration in the health of workers who have very little access to health care, in addition to environmental damages;

Amendment 49 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2 b. Regrets the lack of recognition of the strategic importance of rangelands, which cover about 43% of the African land surface and are therefore important carbon sinks; calls on the Commission to develop, together with local communities and local stakeholders, a strategy to optimise this potential through sustainable grazing management such as by pastoralists;

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Deplor~~Welcomes the fact that the ~~Commission continues to promote free trade with the ultimate aim of establishing a comprehensive free-~~new EU – Africa partnership advocates for the development of environmentally friendly agricultural practices and the integration of concerns relating to biodiversity, but regretss that it simultaneously continues to promote trade are~~a between the two continents; points out that fr~~lations which primarily benefit large Western companies; in this respect, recalls the nee-d t~~rade agreements disrupt local agriculture, are damaging to small producers and exacerbate the African continent’s dependency on food import~~o guarantee the coherence of European agricultural and trade policies in favour of sustainable development by ensuring the implementation of the analysis of their impacts on the sustainable development objectives, human rights and the rights of small peasants and other populations living in rural areas;

Amendment 50 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Deplores that fact that land- grabbing is rife in Africa; points out that land-grabbing is a brutal practice that undermines food sovereignty and endangers rural African communities; calls on the Commission to establish an observatory for deforestation, fires and land-grabbing using satellites (remote detection) and an early warning system with the support of the local populations, while respecting policy coherence for development, in particular by using the provisions of the regulation on the financing, management and monitoring of the common agricultural policy (CAP);

Amendment 51 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Deplores that fact that land- grabbing is rife in Africa; points out that land-grabbing is a brutal practice that undermines food sovereignty and endangers rural African communities; underlines in this regard that an increase in land concentration often leads to an increase in human rights violations, including through displacement; stresses that the appropriation of land leads to the appropriation of resources such as water use rights;

Amendment 52 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Deplores that fact that land- grabbing is rife in Africa; points out that land-grabbing is a brutal practice that undermines food sovereignty and endangers rural African communities; stresses the importance of launching an inclusive process with the aim of establishing a mechanism guaranteeing the effective participation of civil society organizations in the development, implementation and monitoring of policies and actions related to land- grabbing;

Amendment 53 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

Amendment 54 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

Amendment 55 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Deplores thate fact that land- grabbing is rife in Africa and the policies of African governments that have facilitated and promoted land-grabbing; points out that land-grabbing is a brutal practice that undermines food sovereignty and endangers rural African communities;

Amendment 56 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Deplores that fact that land- grabbing is rife in Africa; points out that land-grabbing is a brutal practice that undermines ~~food sovereignty~~sustainable food systems and endangers rural African communities;

Amendment 57 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. ~~Deplores that fact that land- grabbing is rife in Africa; points out that land-grabbing is a brutal practice that undermines food sovereignty and endangers rural African communities~~Calls, for a long-term agricultural strategy which promotes African food security and is environmentally-friendly to be developed as part of the partnership; points out that access to land is indispensable in order to ensure food security;

Amendment 58 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Deplores that fact that land- grabbing is rife in Africa; points out that land-grabbing is a brutal practice that undermines food s~~overeign~~ecurity and endangers rural African communities;

Amendment 59 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Notes that, for example, grazing rights and community pastures are traditional land use rights based on common law and not on securitised property rights; emphasises, however, the essential importance of protecting these common rights for the rural population;

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Deplores the fact that the Commission continues to promote free trade with the ultimate aim of establishing a comprehensive free-trade area between the two continents; points out that free- trade agreements disrupt local agriculture, are damaging to small producers and exacerbate the African continent’s dependency on food imports and completely distort the terms of trade given the huge differences in productivity between the rich countries of the EU and Africa;

Amendment 60 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Calls for the VGGT guidelines to be observed in all projects that promote the protection of land rights and also ensure that projects should as a matter of principle not endanger the land rights of small farmers;

Amendment 61 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3 a. Welcomes the NaturAfrica initiative which aims to protect wild flora and fauna, while at the same time providing local people with opportunities in the ‘green’ sectors.

Amendment 62 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. whereas, with population growth and increased food production, rural areas will continue to offer firm economic prospects for young people in the future;

Amendment 63 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3 b. Notes with concern that the exploitation of raw materials in Africa further exacerbates existing conflicts or creates new ones and, in addition to the original land grabbing, leads to twofold exploitation and oppression of the local population;

Amendment 64 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3 b. Calls on the EU and its Member States to actively support and actively help and support partner countries, in line with the voluntary guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests and international human rights standards, to apply the principle of free, prior and informed consent to the acquisition of land on a large scale; further calls on the EU to support partner countries in improving their property laws by recognising the universal right of women to be fully entitled land owners;

Amendment 65 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Urges~~Calls on the Member States and the EU to increase considerably the amount of public development aid allocated to African countries; calls in particular for an increase in public development aid for biodiversity and climate change adaptation policies; continue providing public development aid to African countries, increasing transparency and monitoring, notably as regards funds allocated to non- governmental organisations; calls in particular for an increase in public development aid for biodiversity and climate change adaptation policies; Demands that African countries use the development aid in an effective manner with the aim of pursuing agricultural policies which promote the modernisation of the agriculture sector through training and new technologies;

Amendment 66 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Urges Member States and the EU to increase considerably the amount of public development aid allocated to African countries; calls in particular for an increase in public development aid for agroecological agriculture, food security, biodiversity and climate change adaptation policies; is gravely concerned by the impact of the climate crisis, which is amplifying the threats that already exist to food security, and in particular droughts in sub-Saharan Africa, requiring support for farmers in Africa in order to assist them in their necessary adaptation to the climate crisis ;

Amendment 67 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Urges Member States and the EU to increase considerably the amount of public ~~development aid allocated to~~expenditure allocated to development cooperation in African countries; calls in particular for an increase in public development ~~aid~~funds for biodiversity and climate change adaptation policies, and highlights the possibilities of public- private-partnerships involving companies from Member States and partner countries;

Amendment 68 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Urges Member States and the EU to increase considerably the amount of public development aid allocated to African countries; calls in particular for an increase in public development aid for biodiversity and climate change adaptation policies; stresses the importance of the agricultural production, processing and distribution sectors, which are Africa's principal economic and social mainstays and also help to limit migratory trends;

Amendment 69 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Urges Member States and the EU to increase considerably the amount of public development aid allocated to ~~African countries~~agricultural research and development in African countries in the fight against hunger; calls in particular for an increase in public development aid for collaborative action on food security, biodiversity and climate change adaptation policies;

Amendment 7 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Deplores the fact that the Commission continues to promote free trade with the ultimate aim of establishing a comprehensive~~Calls on the Commission to ensure that free-trade agre~~a between the two continents; points out that free- trade agreements~~ements do not disrupt local agriculture, ~~are damaging to~~do not damage small producers and do not exacerbate the African continent’s dependency on food imports;

Amendment 70 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Urges Member States and the EU to increase considerably the amount of public development aid allocated to African countries; calls in particular for an increase in public development aid for biodiversity and climate change adaptation policies and for agricultural ecology to be recognised as the basis for sustainable agricultural and food systems;

Amendment 71 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Urges Member States and the EU to increase considerably the ~~amount of~~efforts in public development aid allocated to African countries; calls in particular for an increase ~~in public development aid for~~of better infrastructure and value chains for local farmers and biodiversity and climate change adaptation policies;

Amendment 72 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Urges Member States~~Calls for public development anid t~~he EU to increase considerably the amount of public development aid allocated to African countries; calls~~o be targeted at social, economic and environmental development objectives, taking account in particular ~~for an inc~~of the prease ~~in public development aid for~~rvation of biodiversity and of climate change adaptation policies;

Amendment 73 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls for increased cooperation between Africa and Europe in terms of rural development practices, in particular the exchange of appropriate, low-cost and efficient techniques and approaches, including marketing and processing of food, alternatives to pesticides, agroforestry and cooperation models and other solutions that benefit small farmers, groups of small-scale farmers and communities, without creating dependency on inputs or debts and increasing resilience and self-reliance;

Amendment 74 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Stresses the significant share of Africa’s work force that rely on agricultural food production, processing and distribution for their livelihoods, income and direct employment; underlines that it concerns in most cases smallholdings and family farms, notes the importance of promoting and enhancing measures and tools to support increasing the quality and diversification of products, modernisation of agricultural practices and measures to strengthen the resilience of farmers, particularly young farmers;

Amendment 75 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4 a. Highlights the existence of conservancy schemes which engage with farmers leasing their land for wildlife protection purposes, provide local jobs and improve coexistence with wild species; recalls the EU plan1a to launch the NaturAfrica initiative to protect wildlife and key ecosystems while offering opportunities in green sectors for local populations; _________________ 1aEU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. Bringing ature back into our lives (COM(2020) 380 final)

Amendment 76 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4 b. Stresses the essential contributions of young girls and women to agricultural and rural economies across the African continent;however regrets that many women do not have the same rights as men, have more limited access to land and face many constraints that reduce their agricultural productivity; considers it therefore of crucial importance to support and enhance the empowerment of young girls and women in Africa;

Amendment 77 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Stresses that the EU needs to bring its policies, notably the CAP and trade policy, into line with its development policy;

Amendment 78 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Africa-EU Partnership to focus its efforts in the area of agriculture on safeguarding African countries’ right to food security and on promoting small-scale agro-ecological farming with the emphasis on healthy food production and farmer well-being.; stresses the need for the EU to commence support for Africa in order to achieve the 'Zero Hunger' Sustainable Development Goal and address the challenges of food supply and food security; calls on the Commission to initiate agricultural partnership arrangements with a view to promoting organic farming and local production, while taking due account of biodiversity concerns;

Amendment 79 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Africa-EU Partnership to focus its efforts in the area of agriculture on safeguarding African countries’ right to food security and on promoting small-scale agro-ecological farming with the emphasis on healthy food production and farmer well-being; Stresses that tropical crops like palm oil, cocoa or coffee, originating in Africa, have been traditionally present in diverse agroforestry systems, deplores monocropping models transforming the traditional form of farming into monocropping which depletes soils, biodiversity, uses more land and worsens the nutrition provision in local communities.

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Deplores the fact that~~Encourages the Commission to continues to ~~promote free trade with the ultimate aim of~~investigate the ways in which free trade or establishing a comprehensive free-trade area between the two continents~~; points out that free- trade agreements disrupt local agriculture, are damaging to small producers and exacerbate the African continent’s dependency on food imports~~ could benefit all;

Amendment 80 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Africa-EU Partnership to focus its efforts in the area of agriculture on safeguarding African countries’ right to food security and on promoting small-scale agro-ecological farming which guarantees food and nutritional security for all and better resilience to crises, particularly the climate crisis, with the emphasis on healthy food production and farmer well- being.; recalls that the end of malnutrition in all its forms and SDG 2 – Zero Hunger should be considered as priorities in the new partnership;

Amendment 81 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Africa-EU Partnership to focus its efforts in the area of agriculture on safeguarding African countries’ right to food s~~ecurity and on promoting small- scale agro-ecological farming~~overeignty, to increase their food security and their capacity to meet the nutritional requirements of their populations — particularly as regards proteins —, to make farming a vector for the integrated economic and territorial development of these states and to promote a local and sustainable agriculture with the emphasis on healthy food production and farmer well-being.

Amendment 82 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

Amendment 83 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Africa-EU Partnership to focus its efforts in the area of agriculture on safeguarding African countries’ right to food security in order to allow their populations to live there with dignity and on promoting small-scale agro-ecological farming with the emphasis on healthy food production and farmer well-being.

Amendment 84 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Africa-EU Partnership to focus its efforts in the area of agriculture on safeguarding African countries’ right to food security and nutrition and on promoting small-scale agro-ecological ~~farming~~and other innovative farming systems with the emphasis on sustainable and healthy food production and farmer well-being.

Amendment 85 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

Amendment 86 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. ~~Calls on~~Requests that the Africa-EU Partnership to focus its efforts in the area of agriculture on safeguarding African countries’ right to food security and on promoting small-scale agro-ecological farming with the emphasis on healthy food production and farmer well-being.in the agricultural sector aims as a priority to guarantee the right to food security of African countries and the promotion of agro-ecological farming which values sustainable food production and the social and economic well-being of farmers;

Amendment 87 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Africa-EU Partnership to focus its efforts in the area of agriculture on safeguarding African countries’ right to food security and on promoting s~~mall-scale agro-ecological~~ustainable farming with the emphasis on ~~healthy food production and farmer well-being~~respect for the environment and the profitability of farmers and live-stock producers.

Amendment 88 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Calls on the Africa-EU Partnership to focus its efforts in the area of agriculture on safeguarding African countries’ right to food ~~security~~ and on promoting small-scale agro- ecological farming with the emphasis on healthy food production and farmer well- being.

Amendment 89 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 – point 1 (new)

(1) Remind that joint EU-Africa Task force rural Africa (TFRA) prepared on 2018 a list of measures to increase Africa's own food production and the list is still a relevant basic for the Africa-EU Partnership

Amendment 9 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Deplores the fact that the Commission continues to promote~~Welcomes the Communication towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa and the fact that the Commission continues to promote the regions' continental economic integration through free trade with the ultimate aim of establishing a comprehensive free-trade area between the two continents; points out that free- trade agreements ~~disrupt~~shall safeguard local agriculture, a~~re damaging to small producers and exacerbate the African continent’s dependency on food imports~~nd sensitive sectors in particular;

Amendment 90 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Calls on Member states, in the context of partnerships with the private sector, to target the local private sector as a priority, micro-, small and medium-sized businesses type, and among these social and cooperative enterprises, which contribute to sustainable development. These partnerships with private actors must be subject to precise selection criteria, public monitoring , evaluation processes and independent complaint mechanisms. Support for the private sector must be conditioned on respect for human rights and the recognition of the right to food. Tied aid promoting access to this funding by European companies must be excluded;

Amendment 91 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Points out that achieving sustainable development goals, in particular food security and zero hunger, will be a common priority; emphasises that the creation of safe and sustainable agricultural and food systems should be promoted through environmentally friendly farming practices, local production, intact rural areas, the protection of biodiversity and natural resources as well as the introduction of sanitary and phytosanitary standards;

Amendment 92 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Denounces the double standard applied by the EU regarding pesticides by allowing the export of hazardous substances banned in the EU to African countries and other third countries and asks for the modification of the current EU rules in order eliminate such a legal incoherence, based on the Rotterdam Convention, adopted 22 years ago, since it is not in line with the spirit of the Green Deal.

Amendment 93 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Highlights the important role that farmers’ organisations and cooperatives in Africa may have in improving the bargaining power of farmers and their revenue, facilitating access to equipment and services and reducing risks associated to marketing of products; considers that the exchange of experiences among Africa and European organisations would present mutual benefits.

Amendment 94 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Calls on the Commission to carry out a comprehensive ex-ante and ex-post impact assessment of the external effects of the CAP and European trade policy using SDG indicators; calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that European agricultural exports do not further increase migration pressure;

Amendment 95 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Calls on the Commission to ensure that the Africa-EU Partnership is mutually beneficial to both continents in terms of market opportunities, knowledge exchange, fair value chains and access to and support for climate mitigation and adaptation tools and measures;

Amendment 96 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. whereas agriculture is still the most important economic activity for young people in Africa and must be safeguarded in future by guaranteeing the right of ownership and self- determination;

Amendment 97 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5 a. Underlines the legitimacy and relevance of regional agricultural policies in Africa as a way to support continental food security, farms resilience, rural development and sustainable food production.

Amendment 98 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5 b. Recalls that almost half1a of agricultural work in Africa is done by women, while women farmers are mostly small or subsistence farmers who do not have the necessary access to information, credit, land or networks to be able to compete successfully in a global market ; for this reason, calls for a development- oriented and gender-conscious trade policy that guarantees negotiations based on equal rights between the trading partners; emphasises that EU agricultural imports undercut traditional smallholder farms, thereby threatening the livelihood of women in particular; _________________ 1a http://www.fao.org/gender/resources/info graphics/the-female-face-of-farming/en/

Amendment 99 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5 b. Supports the proposal of the Task Force Rural Africa for the establishment of an Europe-Africa Twinning programme, extended to linking agricultural bodies of EU Member States and partner countries in Africa, such as farmer’ organisations and cooperatives, rural women’s and youth organisations among others, aiming at sharing good practices and foster relationships between strongly engaged and similar partners.

source: 653.993

2020/07/02 AFET 234 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Giuliano PISAPIA, Maria ARENA, Attila ARA-KOVÁCS, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Dietmar KÖSTER, Javi LÓPEZ, Pierfrancesco MAJORINO, Juozas OLEKAS, Demetris PAPADAKIS, Andreas SCHIEDER, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Underlines that Europe and Africa are in close geographical proximity, have strong, historical ~~and~~, cultural ~~ties and~~and socio- economic ties, which are being brought ever closer by the increase in stra~~de and shared challenges~~tegic interests, such as climate change, sustainable development, and good governance, and that the prosperity of the two continents are intimately linked, which call for an holistic continental- African approach and ~~result-oriented use of EU resourc~~for increased coherence between EU policies and the use of the related resources, while at the same time respecting the independence and sovereignty of African countries;

Amendment 10 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Recalls that democracy is based on respect for human rights, civil and political rights, equality and non- discrimination, as well as the rights of protest and association; recalls that social and economic rights, in particular the right to work, health, education, housing, a healthy environment, access to water and food and fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of expression, are necessary for the achievement of a democratic society, and that these rights and freedoms are under threat in many EU and African countries and that numerous violations of these rights and freedoms endanger democracy by laying the foundations for authoritarian states; stresses that civil society must be inclusive, in order to represent all existing groups, such as women, LGBTI+ people, young people, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities;

Amendment 100 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5c. Calls on the EC and the EEAS to take specific actions to protect migrants from death, disappearance, family separation and violation of their rights; calls on the EC and the EEAS to facilitate and implement safe and legal migration channels, particularly for employment but not only for those deemed "highly skilled", in the framework of a migration and mobility partnership based on shared responsibility and the respect for Human Rights and International and Refugee Law; calls on the EC and the EEAS to take into account and avoid any negative spill over of EU external migration policies on African continental and regional migration and mobility;

Amendment 101 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5c. Notes that Africa’s potential attracts increased interest from many players on the world scene, and expresses concern that in many areas Africa has become a new arena of great power competition;

Amendment 102 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 d (new)

5d. Stresses the importance of climate change as a risk multiplier for conflict, drought, famine and migration in Africa and worldwide; underlines the ruling of the UN Human Rights Committee of 20 January 2020 on a complaint by an individual seeking asylum from the effects of climate change, whereby it stated that countries may not deport individuals who face climate change-induced conditions that violate the right to life; calls on the EU-Africa Strategy to explicitly address climate migration and urges the EU to provide additional pathways for people affected by climate change, especially when fleeing slow-onset changes of the environment, by improving the flexibility of legal channels for migrants workers and their families, including resettlement and mobility schemes and preferential access for workers coming from regions affected by climate change;

Amendment 103 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 d (new)

5d. Stresses that respect for and full realisation of the human rights of women are the foundations of a democratic society; considers, therefore, that the absence of psychological, physical and sexual violence and abuse, women's political participation and participation in all areas of society, including decision- making processes, peace-building and peace-keeping efforts, negotiations and leadership, education, labour market access and entrepreneurism, ensuring their economic and social rights, autonomy, emancipation as well as access to sexual and reproductive health and rights, which are fundamental rights and objectives to be achieved for the construction of a truly democratic society; calls on the EEAS and the Commission to include a gender approach based on these principles in all its policies in Africa;

Amendment 104 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 e (new)

5e. Recalls that climate change is having tragic consequences in the European Union and in African countries; calls on the EC and the EEAS to incorporate the fight against climate change, the ecological and digital transition as well as the Green Deal into the strategy, while ensuring that such transition is just and leaves no one behind; calls on the EU to define and legally recognise climate refugee status as a person displaced and forced to move as a direct or indirect result of climate changes, such as droughts, extreme temperatures, changes in water composition, the rise of sea levels, desertification and floods. As stated by the UN General Assembly in 2018 in the Global Compact on Refugees, climate, environmental degradation and natural disasters increasingly interact with the drivers of refugee movements, caused by the loss of livelihoods and food insecurity;

Amendment 105 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 f (new)

5f. Calls for the EU's common agricultural policy to be restructured by scaling down agricultural subsidies that are detrimental to local production in both African countries and EU Member States; stresses that the current agro- industrial model is based on social and environmental dumping and is designed solely to satisfy financial interests at the expense of the income of small and medium-sized farms and the needs of the population; reaffirms the need to take agriculture and food out of the logic of trade and free trade agreements; supports a new global agriculture and food model that meets the objectives of food sovereignty for peoples and states (which includes the right of peasants, with a particular focus on female farmers, to produce food for their people and families, by ending land grabbing and ensuring farmers' access to land, seeds and water), ecological transition, job creation and fair pay for both male and female farmers, and the right to quality food for all;

Amendment 106 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 g (new)

5g. Recalls the changes in the political and economic structures of African societies created by European intervention through colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade, that de- developed the African continent and made it completely dependent; calls for the Member States directly or indirectly responsible to put forward reparations towards the States whose resources have been plundered and societies decimated by European colonialism;

Amendment 107 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 h (new)

5h. Calls for the EU and its Member States to support in the UN and other international fora the implementation of a binding instrument to make private companies accountable for human rights violations globally, given the grave consequences this lack of accountability has for the peoples of Africa in many areas;

Amendment 108 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 i (new)

5i. Emphasises that land and natural resource grabbing by multinational companies is a major obstacle to the development of African countries; reaffirms that the activities of European companies operating in Africa must fully respect international human rights standards and ILO conventions; calls on the Member States to ensure that companies governed by their national law do not under any circumstances fail to respect human rights and the social, health and environmental standards that apply to them when they set up or carry out their activities in a third country; calls on the European Commission and the Member States to penalise European companies and their subsidiaries which fail to comply with these standards and to ensure that victims have access to justice;

Amendment 109 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 j (new)

5j. Stresses that development aid is fundamental for the diversification of the African countries' economies and for coping with the current economic and social crisis; calls on the EU and its Member States to increase financial support and humanitarian aid to meet the urgent needs of the populations; calls for EU and Member States' aid to be in the form of grants and not loans so as not to increase the debt burden; deplores the fact that many EU Member States have failed to reach the target of 0.7% of GNI and that some have even decreased their contributions to development aid; deplores the fact that these contributions are increasingly dedicated to support private sector investments (which could be more appropriately be supported by other type of funding) rather than through specialized international agencies and CSOs; deplores the decline in Member States' participation in food aid programmes; condemns the conditionality imposed on some countries to prevent migratory movements; urges that development aid should under no circumstances be used to limit or control borders or to ensure the readmission of migrants, as such approach undermines aid effectiveness principles;

Amendment 11 #

Giuliano PISAPIA, Maria ARENA, Attila ARA-KOVÁCS, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Dietmar KÖSTER, Javi LÓPEZ, Pierfrancesco MAJORINO, Juozas OLEKAS, Demetris PAPADAKIS, Andreas SCHIEDER, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Reiterates the importance to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms and the principles of Article 21 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU); calls for the African Union, the European Union and their member states, for a more robust cooperation in the fields of the promotion and protection of human rights, and human rights defenders, and to deliver full political and financial support to their respective human rights mechanisms;

Amendment 110 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 k (new)

5k. Considers that massive public investment is essential to meet the needs of the people; stresses that in order to finance the new model of relationship it is necessary to incorporate additional measures to increase and boost domestic resource mobilisation, such as: to fulfil ODA commitments, facilitate remittances transactions, promote tax transparency, adopt legislation for mandatory tax transparency for multinational companies in the EU and revise tax treaties with African countries;

Amendment 111 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 l (new)

5l. Stresses that the massive flight of capital from African countries, mainly to tax havens (more than 50 billion a year for Africa), is an obstacle to the development of these countries; considers, therefore, that the holding of a world tax conference in order to develop binding mechanisms is necessary to ensure tax justice at global level;

Amendment 112 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 m (new)

5m. Stresses that the demand for the cancellation of the public debt of the African countries has never been more legitimate and necessary in order to release the funds needed for investment in public infrastructure, particularly health infrastructure; calls therefore on the international institutions and the 'creditor' countries to remove the obstacles to development in the African countries by cancelling the debt and interest on the debt which these countries continue to pay;

Amendment 113 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 n (new)

5n. Recalls that the aim of the private sector is, by definition, to make a profit; stresses that the search for corporate profit cannot guide the EU's external and humanitarian action, which must be based on respect for human rights, the strengthening of multilateralism and international cooperation, in adherence to the principles of policy coherence for development and 2030 Agenda, peacebuilding efforts and disarmament, the fight against poverty, inequality and climate change; insists that the role of donor and human development partner cannot be outsourced or privatised; regrets that the private sector is not required to meet the same conditions for action in a country as NGOs; underlines the need of holding the private sector accountable, and demonstrate that the support provided by the External Action Guarantee and the European Fund for Sustainable Development to their investments is binding to the achievement of concrete indicators of SDGs;

Amendment 114 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

Amendment 115 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

Amendment 116 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. ~~Stresses that the EU is among the first to bear the costs of all destructive policies employed against African nations, while other players, especially China and Russia, are~~Observes the growing strategic interest and foreign presence in Africa, involving the Gulf states, Turkey, and Iran, as well as China, Russia and the United States, and leading to a wave of investment in ports, bases and infrastructure and to an increased security and economic competition; is worried that these states activities are very often focused only on their own benefits at the expense of African sovereignty and European security; Insists that respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms constitutes the cornerstone of EU’s engagement with its partners; calls for the EU to strengthen its support for democracy, the promotion of human rights, the rule of law, media freedom and accountable, transparent and responsive governance, which are vital elements for ensuring a stable and inclusive political, social and economic environment in Africa;

Amendment 117 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. ~~Stresses that the EU is am~~Recalls that it is up to the Africans to decide upon their international cooperation and ong the ~~first to bear the costs of all destructive policies employed against African nations, while other players~~ir own priorities; calls on the EU to seek a coordination with each country truly interested in a prosperous and positive long-term development of the African continent, based on the full respect of human rights, good governance, respec~~ially China and Russia, are focused only on their own benefits at the expense of African sovereignty and European security~~t for civil and human rights and the combat against corruption; calls on the EU to develop a strategic and long-term response to the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which should be guided by our shared values as well as the priorities and needs articulated by our African neighbours;

Amendment 118 #

Nathalie LOISEAU, Bernard GUETTA, Hilde VAUTMANS, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Javier NART, Katalin CSEH

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses that the EU is among the first to bear the costs of all destructive policies employed against African nations, while other players, especially China and Russia, are focused only on their own benefits at the expense of African sovereignty and European security; calls the European Commission to take it into account in its EU-Africa strategy and to raise this issue at the future EU-China Summit;

Amendment 119 #

Thierry MARIANI, Jérôme RIVIÈRE, Nicolas BAY

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses that the EU is among the first to bear the costs of ~~all destructive policies employed against African nations~~development aid to Africa whose long-term impact has been limited and even damaging, while other players~~, especially~~ such as China and Russia, are focused onprimarily on their own ~~benefits at the expense of African sovereignty and European security~~interests; urges the European Union and its Member States to change strategy and copy them;

Amendment 12 #

David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER, Daniel CASPARY

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Highlights the need to galvanise the EU’s relations with the countries of North Africa; laments the fact that 25 years on from the start of the Barcelona Process, the creation of an area of shared prosperity, stability and freedom with the southern neighbourhood countries has still not been completed;

Amendment 120 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses that the EU is among the first to bear the costs of ~~all destructive~~ policies employed ~~against~~to the detriment of African nations, while other players~~, especially China and Russia, are focused only on their own benefits~~ are advancing their geopolitical interests often at the expense of African sovereignty ~~and European security~~;

Amendment 121 #

María Soraya RODRÍGUEZ RAMOS, Urmas PAET, Katalin CSEH, Javier NART, Hilde VAUTMANS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses that the EU ~~is among the first to bear the costs of all destructive policies employed against~~should also focus on a political and normative partnership in terms of strengthening the multilateral system and the international rule-based order together with African ~~nation~~states, while other players, especially China and Russia, are focused on~~ly on their own benefits at the expense of African sovereignty and European security;~~ a growing unilateralism.

Amendment 122 #

David LEGA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses that the EU is among the first to bear the costs of all destructive policies employed against African nations, while other players, especially China and Russia, are focused only on their own benefits at the expense ofdestructive policies employed against African states inevitably have negative impacts on the EU too, and on our security, more particularly; stresses that actions by other players, especially China and Russia, jeopardise African sovereignty and European security;

Amendment 123 #

Stelios KYMPOUROPOULOS, Vangelis MEIMARAKIS, Anna-Michelle ASIMAKOPOULOU, Antonio LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses that the EU is among the first to bear the costs of all destructive policies employed against African nations, while other players, especially China ~~and~~, Russia and Turkey, are focused only on their own benefits at the expense of African sovereignty and European security;

Amendment 124 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses that the EU is among the first to ~~bea~~suffer the costnsequences of all destructive policies employed against African nations, while other players, especially China and Russia, are focused only on their own benefits at the expense of African sovereignty and European security;

Amendment 125 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses that the EU is among the first to help the African continent bear the costs of all destructive policies employed against African nations, while other players~~, especially China and Russia,~~ are focused only on their own benefits at the expense of ~~African~~the sovereignty of African countries and European security;

Amendment 126 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Reiterates its call on EU and AU member states to constructively participate in the UN intergovernmental working group on transnational corporations and other business enterprises with respect to human rights in order to work towards the setting-up of a mandatory and enforceable regulatory framework, based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights; calls on the EU to adopt a legislative proposal on corporate human rights and due diligence to prevent abuses in the global operations of companies, including in Africa, and to enhance access to judicial remedy for victims of corporate misconduct;

Amendment 127 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Recalls the detrimental impacts of the Covid-19 crisis, both in terms of health, but also in economic terms, and therefore reiterates its call to provide to those African States which ask for it an increased support in the health sector; strongly supports the strong EU response to the Crisis on an external dimension through the “Team Europe” approach and sees it as a true sign of global solidarity and European values, and strongly welcomes the announcement by the G20 to suspend all debt payments for the world's poorest countries until the end of 2020;

Amendment 128 #

Anna BONFRISCO, Marco ZANNI, Thierry MARIANI, Jérôme RIVIÈRE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Recalls that the extractive sector plays an important role in the economies of numerous African countries and is linked to an unequal resource interdependence with Europe, which should be rectified by addressing the issue by of illicit outflows of tax revenue and royalties in the extractive sector through the EU Transparency Directive and Accounting Directive;

Amendment 129 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Calls for the firm condemnation of actions by Turkey seeking to oppose or deter military operations by Member States in the Mediterranean, compromise joint efforts to achieve peace and security in the neighbourhood or hamper the CSDP IRINI initiative;

Amendment 13 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Stresses the importance of reinforcing a new and comprehensive EU- Africa multi- sectoral partnership for ensuring stability and security in all regions based on trustful cooperation and effective coordination for creating and promotion peace, sustainable economic growth, new jobs and poverty eradication;

Amendment 130 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Stresses that the EU and its Member States need to become a source of stability and reliability in the region. Believes that the European Union needs to play a bigger geopolitical role in Africa and establish relations that account for the good of all;

Amendment 131 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Recalls that illicit financial flows (IFFs) constitute a substantial problem for developing countries and that in Africa illicit financial flows amount to at least USD 50 billion — twice the amount of official development aid; stresses that the Report of the High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa assessed commercial activities as accounting for 65 per cent of IFFs; calls on the EU to adopt a stringent regulatory framework on corruption, mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence and corporate accountability for European companies investing and operating in Africa;

Amendment 132 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Regrets that other actors not always contribute to peace, stability and prosperity of African nations, with their policies of maximizing influences and subservience by increasing financial indebtedness, use of bribes, opaque agreements, lack of environmental or ethical standards and exchanging political and military support for e voting support at international forums including the United Nations, World Trade Organization, World Health Organization, Interpol; Food and Agriculture Organization, International Telecommunication Union or International Civil Aviation Organization.

Amendment 133 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Notes with concern that the EU’s open procurement rules are not always reciprocated, which often distorts competition at the expense of European companies operating in Africa; considers that “price only” tenders lack sufficient conditionality concerning labour and environmental standards and favour state sponsored actors;

Amendment 134 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)

6c. Regrets that China and Russia continue to threaten the financial independence of African nations, support military dictatorships, pillage natural resources and undermine national labour markets as a means to increase their power at the expense of the sovereignty of African nations; is of the opinion that Europe cannot risk to become reactive to Sino-Africa dynamics and Russian engagement in fragile states;

Amendment 135 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 d (new)

6d. Reiterates that engaging together on the global scene to strengthen the multilateral rules-based order requires shared values and respect of international law and fundamental rights;

Amendment 136 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 e (new)

6e. Calls on the Commission and Member States to advise and assist African nations in sharing best practices and European integration experiences, so to deepen cooperation and reconciliation, especially in implementation of the African Union’s Agenda 2063, the African Continental Free Trade Area, the African Visa-Free Area, Single African Digital Market, the Single African Air Transport Market, and achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Amendment 137 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 f (new)

6f. Notes that Africa, in a rapidly changing world, has an immense potential that is not yet fully realized. Believes that whether or not African countries achieve this potential depends greatly on their follow through with their stated strategic objectives and how they foster relationships with nations who share similar experiences, particularly those in Europe.

Amendment 138 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 g (new)

6g. Calls for closer cooperation on implementation EU-Africa strategy with the UN, NATO, OSCE, and key allies such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Amendment 139 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 h (new)

6h. Welcomes that the EU considers peace and security in Africa as key conditions for sustainable development and that the Union is committed to “markedly step up its support to Africa in cooperation with the international community”;

Amendment 14 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Highlights that the relations between the EU, its Member States and African countries are unequal and that, following decolonisation, new rules have been imposed on African countries in order to maintain the economic and political domination of the former colonial powers; deplores that this neo- colonialism has resulted at political level in the dismissal of governments, the assassination of political leaders, political instability and in some cases in the financing of armed conflicts or direct military intervention by the former colonial powers; recalls, therefore, that the question of democracy in Africa is intrinsically linked to the real independence and sovereignty of those states;

Amendment 140 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the security of Africa ~~should be transferred into the hands of Africans and that the EU should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal~~is of great importance for the development of the continent and is primarily the responsibility of African countries themselves; considers that the EU should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of peace and overcoming the crises and conflicts on that continent through an integrated approach that harnesses all available tools, including support for developing African security and defence capabilities; urges the Council in this respect to swiftly approve the European Peace Facility; highlights also the need to enhance cooperation between the two continents in the field of public health and combating pandemics.

Amendment 141 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that ~~the matter of the security of Africa should be transferred into the hands of Africans and that the EU should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal.~~African states and regional institutions must have the leading role in matters relating to the security of Africa and that the EU should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal, including by implementing a conflict prevention, do no harm and policy coherence approach in all aspects of its relationship with Africa; calls therefore for the dismantling of all EU Member States' military bases and ending the CSDP missions in the African continent; calls on the EU to refrain from partnering with governments and security forces with problematic human rights records, as well as for the EU to foresee sanctions on EU Member States that break the rules regarding arms sales;

Amendment 142 #

Nathalie LOISEAU, Bernard GUETTA, Hilde VAUTMANS, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Javier NART, Katalin CSEH

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the security of Africa ~~should be transferred~~lies into the hands of the Africans people and that the EU should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal; stresses in this respect that a human security focused approach is the basis for sustainable development on the African continent and globally; underlines the need for coherent strategic action by the EU member states, which, despite all individual (geo)political ambitions, should not undermine joint European efforts; emphasizes the importance of multilateral cooperation within the AU-EU-UN triangle in the field of local, regional and international security - despite current nationalistic regressive tendencies.

Amendment 143 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the security of Africa should be transferred into the hands of Africans and that the EU should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal.Recalls that the fight against terrorism is a common priority; calls the EU to continue its efforts to assist its African partners throughout its military operations and civilian missions and support for initiatives coming from the AU, regional organizations such as ECOWAS or G5 Sahel; encourages Member States to participate in EU missions and operations and in bilateral efforts; insists on the importance of the establishment of the European Peace Facility in order to provide a more comprehensive assistance to African partners in regions affected by terrorism;

Amendment 144 #

Giuliano PISAPIA, Maria ARENA, Attila ARA-KOVÁCS, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Dietmar KÖSTER, Javi LÓPEZ, Pierfrancesco MAJORINO, Juozas OLEKAS, Demetris PAPADAKIS, Andreas SCHIEDER, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that ~~the matter of the security of Africa should be transferred into the hands~~African states and regional institutions must have the leading role in matters relating to the security of Africans and that the EU should ~~assis~~support its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal., by tackling the root causes of human insecurity, as well as including by implementing a conflict prevention, do no harm and policy coherence approach in all aspects of its relationship with Africa, and by supporting the role of civil society actors in peacekeeping and peace- building efforts;

Amendment 145 #

Thierry MARIANI, Jérôme RIVIÈRE, Nicolas BAY

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that ~~the~~EU should adopt a less paternalistic approach in its relations with Africa and African leaders, especially in the field of security; matter of the security of Africa should be transferred into the hands of Africans and ~~that~~ the EU should assist its ~~African~~ partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal. in a spirit of shared ownership and responsibility and with respect for the independence and sovereignty of African countries;

Amendment 146 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the security of Africa should eventually be transferred into the hands of Africans ~~and that the EU should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal.~~; notes that in order to achieve this goal a transitional phase is needed requiring increased investment by the African States themselves and greater support for states such as France that make a substantial contribution to African security and hence to the security of the EU and its Member States;

Amendment 147 #

Katalin CSEH, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the security of Africa should be transferred into the hands of Africans and that the EU should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal through peacebuilding and demilitarization projects while ensuring that international human rights are respected under all circumstances.

Amendment 148 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the security of Africa should be transferred into the hands of Africans and that the EU should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal.Underlines that the EU-AU partnership can only be successful if it is truly a partnership of equals, meaning a more balanced, fairer and meaningful partnership, built on own responsibility and solidarity and a common vision for our future; reiterates thus its calls for a true “continent to continent” partnership between the European Union and Africa;

Amendment 149 #

David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER, Daniel CASPARY

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that ~~the matter of the security of Africa should be transferred into the hands of Africans and that the EU should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal~~African states, supported by regional and international organizations, are the foremost guarantors of their own security and that the EU should assist its African partners in the further development of an African peace and security architecture to achieve long-term peace and stability.

Amendment 15 #

Giuliano PISAPIA, Maria ARENA, Attila ARA-KOVÁCS, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Dietmar KÖSTER, Javi LÓPEZ, Pierfrancesco MAJORINO, Juozas OLEKAS, Demetris PAPADAKIS, Andreas SCHIEDER, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Underlines that it is important to step up synergies and coherence between all the legal and political frameworks on which EU-Africa relations are based on in order to make the partnership more effective and sustainable; welcomes the proposal for a pan-African programme in the context of the new Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) aimed at addressing the challenges of the African continent as a whole;

Amendment 150 #

María Soraya RODRÍGUEZ RAMOS, Urmas PAET, Katalin CSEH, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Javier NART, Hilde VAUTMANS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the security of Africa should be transferred into the hands of Africans and that the EU should ~~assis~~support its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal, with a special focus in dialogue and peace-building solutions.

Amendment 151 #

Lars Patrick BERG, Harald VILIMSKY

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the security of Africa should be transferred into the hands of Africans and that the EU should ~~assist~~closely assist and scrutinize these matters together with its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal.

Amendment 152 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the development and security of Africa ~~should be transferred into the hands~~is the responsibility of Africans and that ~~the EU~~EU Member States should assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal.

Amendment 153 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7

7. Shares the opinion that the matter of the security of Africa ~~should~~must be transferred into the hands of Africans and that the EU ~~should~~must assist its African partners in the successful accomplishment of this ultimate goal.

Amendment 154 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Underlines its belief that Africa, as a resource rich continent, with dynamic and developing economies that show high levels of growth, a growing middle class and a young and creative population, is a continent of opportunities which has demonstrated on numerous occasion that economic progress and development is possible; points to the cases of among others Botswana, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Tanzania in this regard; (points to technological innovations which originated in Africa, like the M-Pesa mobile payment system which is now used around the world, underlines in this regard the positive impact of social media on the democratic movements on the continent;)

Amendment 155 #

Paulo RANGEL, Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Stresses the urgent need for the EU to address the escalating terrorist insurgency in Northern Mozambique, which already caused more than 1.000 deaths and forced around 200.000 people to flee their homes, and poses a serious risk of spreading across the Southern African region; urges the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to offer EU’s support to Mozambique and its citizens; stresses that the lack of reaction from the EU can lead to other international players to take the leading role that the Union aims to achieve in the continent.

Amendment 156 #

María Soraya RODRÍGUEZ RAMOS, Urmas PAET, Katalin CSEH, Javier NART

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Stresses that a lack of economic progress in the region, weak governance, instability, violation of human rights, corruption, lack of rule of law and impunity, inequality, unemployment or underemployment, climate change and water shortage; accompanied by conflicts and proliferation of radical Islamic terrorism and other forms of violent conflict, creates an increasingly fertile ground for uncontrolled mass migration, both within the continent and overseas, mainly to Europe;

Amendment 157 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Highlights that the socio-economic consequences of the COVID-19 could have a grievous impact on African States; urges the Council, the EEAS and EU Member States to support to their multilateral partners in order to take more action on debt relief for African countries as well as to explore viable solutions to come to a humanitarian economic sanctions’ relief on a case by case basis within the context of COVID-19.

Amendment 158 #

Nathalie LOISEAU, Bernard GUETTA, Hilde VAUTMANS, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Javier NART, Katalin CSEH

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Calls on the Member States and the Union to keep the overall situation under review and hold a constructive ongoing high-level dialogue with the G5 Sahel, Horn of Africa and African Union countries, in a bid to localise the arc of instability running from the Sahel to the Horn of Africa and address the issue by pooling resources and organising joint missions and civil and military operations;

Amendment 159 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Stresses the need to strengthen the cooperation on migration, based on the respect for human rights and international law; calls on the EU to target its policies to tackle the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement, improving the return rates and to help African partners to fight against smuggling networks and human trafficking;

Amendment 16 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1c. Stresses that the global systemic crisis will accelerate as a result of the pandemic and the World Trade Organisation (WTO) predicts an unprecedented contraction in trade flows, ranging from 13% to 32%; recalls that the NGO Oxfam predicts that some 500 million people are at risk of falling into poverty while the African Union has estimated that the continent would need at least USD 200billion to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and its economic and social consequences; recalls that in a study published at the end of March 2020, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) estimated the needs of the countries of the South at USD 2 500 billion and that, according to an International Labour Organisation (ILO) note published on 7 April 2020, 'two billion people work in the informal economy (mostly in emerging and developing economies) and are particularly at risk”;

Amendment 160 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Recalls the importance of the role of the International Criminal Court in tackling impunity and in upholding the values of peace, security, equality, fairness, justice and compensation; calls for the EU and African states to continue supporting the Rome Statute and the ICC; urges all signatories of the Rome Statute to ratify it as soon as possible;

Amendment 161 #

Giuliano PISAPIA, Maria ARENA, Attila ARA-KOVÁCS, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Dietmar KÖSTER, Javi LÓPEZ, Pierfrancesco MAJORINO, Juozas OLEKAS, Demetris PAPADAKIS, Andreas SCHIEDER, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Calls, in the context of counter- terrorism policies, on the establishment of more transparent decision-making processes, increased general awareness about a human rights-based approach and more engagement with communities affected by these measures;

Amendment 162 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Stresses the importance of joint EU-Africa efforts in promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights, and preventing and eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls, including conflict related sexual and gender-based violence;

Amendment 163 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Welcomes the intention by the Commission to make the “Africa-Europe Alliance” the central pillar of the economic relations between the two continents, and reiterates, that sustainable long-term economic development, and the subsequent creation of decent and well- paid jobs, in particular for the youth, is the prerequisite for the development and flourishment of an African middle-class and hence ultimately the attainment of political stability, democracy as well as increased civil and human rights; points in this light to the need of structural economic reforms and the importance of advancing domestic production and manufacturing capacities, which would help to reduce the dependency on foreign imports; recalls the need for the EU to enhance support to SMEs and points to the opportunities of the EU’s Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) to promote business-to-business cooperation and joint ventures with African companies, which would furthermore not only increase the visibility of business opportunities but also foster the much- needed access to finance and access to technology through a transfer of know- how; Furthermore underlines the need to improve investments protection scheme to facilitate and encourage further investments;

Amendment 164 #

Giuliano PISAPIA, Maria ARENA, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Dietmar KÖSTER, Javi LÓPEZ

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Recognises the complex challenges and opportunities migration movements play both in Europe and Africa for the prosperity and the development of both continents; calls on the AU, the EU and their member states to adopt an approach to migration policies that puts human rights of refugees and migrants at their heart; calls them to ensure AU-EU migration related cooperation promotes human rights and the respect of international commitments, including by expanding and promoting legal pathways to Europe and within Africa; secure and promote the asylum space and rights- based migration in both EU and AU countries through legislative and policy reforms, including establishing greater transparency and accountability in migration related programmes and funding;

Amendment 165 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Is of the opinion that as stated in the EU global strategy migration constitutes a priority topic in the EU’s external relations, including its relations with Africa, and more political efforts should be put into the fight against human trafficking and smuggling; Is however of the opinion that both partners should also focus more on roots of migration as well as the effective use of development cooperation instruments;

Amendment 166 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Stresses the importance of regional cooperation, including the mobility of persons, goods and capital to cease and prevent self-enrichment by (European) multinationals at the cost of African resources, and for African countries to develop independent and self- sustaining regions; calls on the Commission to prioritize the inclusion of the promotion of regional cooperation in its EU-Africa strategy;

Amendment 167 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Calls, therefore, for the adoption of a strategy encompassing all foreign policy instruments to deal with numerous security threats posed by extremist violence, the challenges of migration, climate change, extreme poverty, inequality, injustice or foreign investments that fail to comply with international standards and best practices.

Amendment 168 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)

7c. Takes note that the Communication aims at deepening EU support to African peace efforts through a more structured and strategic form of cooperation focussing on regions in Africa where tensions are the highest and calls for specific strategies in conflict regions to be considered a priority; encourages the EU and its Member States to continue burden-sharing with international organizations and partners, including allies and African states that serve a reliable ally against terrorism such as Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Ghana and Ethiopia; calls to strengthen EU’s relationships with these pivotal states; calls on the EU to continue to assist African partners in building the capacity of their forces and security institutions to provide effective and sustainable security and law enforcement services to their citizens, including through the European Peace Facility and its CSDP missions, and focuses on an integrated approach to conflict and crises, acting at all stages of the conflict cycle, from conflict prevention, through response to management and resolution;

Amendment 169 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)

7c. Strongly welcomes the entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and underlines the enormous economic and political potential it has for the future of African and global trade; expresses concern in this regard about the delay of the originally foreseen 1 July 2020implementation date of the AfCFTA due to the COVID-19 crisis, encourages the European Commission and Member States to extend their maximum assistance by sharing best practices of experience made in the EU in order to contribute to a successful implementation of the AfCFTA as soon as the health situation permits; also points to the need to significantly invest in the transport infrastructure to facilitate intra-African trade;

Amendment 17 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)

1d. Deplores that imposed structural reforms, debt and debt servicing, imposed on African countries for years, have hampered economic and social development, greatly reduced the capacity of States to meet the needs of their populations and generated situations close to bankruptcy, at a time when public investment has never been more essential, particularly to deal with natural pandemics; regrets that these structural adjustment programmes imposed by the IMF and the World Bank have encouraged the lack of development and dismantling of public services and infrastructures, and other pillars of the economy of these countries; recalls that this has led to a worsening of the living conditions of the population and has favoured the monopolisation of resources and the seizure of the economy by the major, mainly Western, industrial groups, creating an increase in unemployment, the deterioration in the social situation and the impoverishment of the populations are determining factors in the instability from which the African countries suffer;

Amendment 170 #

Giuliano PISAPIA, Maria ARENA, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Dietmar KÖSTER, Javi LÓPEZ, Pierfrancesco MAJORINO, Demetris PAPADAKIS, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 c (new)

7c. Rejects any kind of conditionality on External Financial Instruments(EFIs) based on EU’s migration and border policies; is opposed to EFIs being used to control and manage migration flows in Africa and calls for effective mechanisms to be put in place to be able to thoroughly control the final destination of those funds and to assess the projects which received funding;

Amendment 171 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 d (new)

7d. Highlights that while a number of countries in Africa continue to struggle with corruption, lack of good governance as well as social and political freedoms, many countries have started the transition towards reforms and democracy; applauds in this light in particular the people of Sudan for their courage and bravery; recalls that transition countries are particularly vulnerable and should be able to count on the EU when they ask for support; calls thus for well-coordinated support and assistance to those countries in order to maintain and support the aspirations for positive change as expressed by their peoples; suggests that the HR/VP establish special ad-hoc contact groups to streamline and facilitate the EU wide support to individual transition countries;

Amendment 172 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 d (new)

7d. Supports increasingly proactive approach taken by cooperative regional security organizations towards the full operationalisation of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA); commends in particular initiatives such as G-5 Sahel given its increasingly pivotal role in taking decisive action to ensure peace and security by African nations in their own neighbourhood and calls on the Commission and Member States to increase political, financial, operational and logistical support to G-5 Sahel;

Amendment 173 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 e (new)

7e. Expresses its concern that Botswana, Ghana, Uganda, and Zimbabwe are included in the updated EU Blacklist of countries which have strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering/combating financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regimes, and calls on these countries to immediately take the necessary steps to comply with the required legislation and implementation of it (Delegated act C(2020) 2801); welcomes that Ethiopia and Tunisia, after pursuing a number of reforms, were taken off the blacklist;

Amendment 174 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 e (new)

7e. Stresses the increasing importance of regional security actors such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Eastern Africa Standby Force (EASF) and the African Union’s African Standby Force in assisting struggling countries in providing peace and prosperity for their citizens;

Amendment 175 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 f (new)

7f. Welcomes the G20 “Compact with Africa” (CwA) initiative, launched in 2017 in order to promote private investment in Africa, including in infrastructure and sees it as a good platform to advance comprehensive, coordinated, and country-specific reform agendas; welcomes that so far twelve African countries have joined the initiative: Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Rwanda, Senegal, Togo and Tunisia;

Amendment 176 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 f (new)

7f. Welcomes the decisive drop in piracy off the coasts of both Eastern and Western Africa as a result of international maritime security efforts that serve as a precedent for European, African and transatlantic security cooperation;

Amendment 177 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 g (new)

7g. Underlines that the EU at its core, in its political and economic relations with third countries, is motivated by the advance of fundamental rights, and the support to democratic institutions and democratic accountability, and whereas third actors like for example China pursue in our eyes other objectives which at times pose a concern to us; stresses that our objective is to strengthen resilience and independence of our African partners;

Amendment 178 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 g (new)

7g. Considers it important that the EU continue efforts to build more resilient states and societies through capacity building and security sector reforms, including through the European Peace Facility and its CSDP missions, and focuses on an integrated approach to conflict and crises, acting at all stages of the conflict cycle,

Amendment 179 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 h (new)

7h. Underlines the important role of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) which provides the African Union and regional level organisations with the needed tools to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts; Strongly welcomes the EU’s recent commitment of 40.5 million Euro to support the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) over the next four years and sees it as imperative to further strengthen the capacity and coordination of APSA components to adapt to emerging security challenges in Africa, while striving for increased AU ownership of its peace and security operations; welcomes in this context the work of Donald Kaberuka, the AU’s special envoy for the Peace Fund and reiterates the EU’s readiness to support the AU’s efforts in this important field;

Amendment 18 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 e (new)

1e. Recalls that in 2019, nearly 16.6 million Africans were affected by extreme weather events, 195% more than in 2018, according to the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED), and that natural disasters have an adverse impact on the lives, livelihoods, homes and ecosystems, as well as on the macro economy;

Amendment 180 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 h (new)

7h. Regrets that the African continent remains home to a variety of active terrorist organizations that openly and continuously threaten African and European citizens and interests alike, including, but not limited to: ISIS, al- Qaeda, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, al-Shabaab and Boko Haram;

Amendment 181 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 i (new)

7i. Highlights the fact that the objective of the EU support on the security sector is to encourage African ownership of security and defence matters and considers that the African Union and African States are key actors with which the EU is meaningfully engaged in order to jointly achieve sustainable development and human security; strongly welcomes in this regard the plans of the African Union to send 3,000 soldiers in support of the G5 Sahel and sees it as a sign that that the AU and EU are indeed pursuing similar security objectives, built on shared objectives and shared responsibilities; welcomes in this regard the comments made by HR/VP Borrell to the UN Security Council on28 May 2020 when he spoke of “finding African solution to African problems”;

Amendment 182 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 i (new)

7i. Expresses concern that a significant rise in casualties due to terrorist activity and jihadi recruitment have made the African continent on the major theatre of warfare in the 21st century; is deeply concerned that all major radical Islamic terrorist groups operate and recruit on the African continent, causing untold suffering against innocent civilians, peacekeepers, partner forces, but also serving as a ground for establishing control and command centres engaged in plotting attacks against European citizens and various targets across the international community;

Amendment 183 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 j (new)

7j. Strongly underlines the important role of functioning state institutions, authorities and infrastructure, and believes that their absence can be a significant obstacle to development, peace, and progress; Underlines that security, stability and hence ultimately also prosperity and sustainable development will only be achieved in the concerned regions, if an all-encompassing strategy is pursued, recalls in this light that security sector reform, justice reform, good governance, democratic accountability, and the protection of civilians are a prerequisite for winning the trust of populations in their governments and security forces; further underlines the civil-military nexus and the need to better streamline both components of the CSDP missions;

Amendment 184 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 j (new)

7j. Regrets that the fight against terrorism seems to be less prominent in the Communication compared to the demands by the European Parliament, although it was identified as a priority area by the AU and the EU and calls for the EU-Africa strategy to address this serious threat in a comprehensive way.

Amendment 185 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 k (new)

7k. Points to the severe negative long- term implications of terrorism and organised crime, especially in fragile States and countries which are in transition towards democracy; underlines therefore its commitment to further intensify its efforts to combat terrorism and organised crime, including through an deepening of security and political relations with African countries, for example through the increased exchange of personnel, such as in the fields of intelligence cooperation and technical as well as military assistance, through among others the soon to be established European Peace Facility (EPF);

Amendment 186 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 k (new)

7k. Continues to support regional capability building to combat terrorism, transnational organized crime, human trafficking, illegal extortion of natural resources, wild animal trade and looting of cultural heritage which are often a primary source of income for terror and criminal organisations in the region

Amendment 187 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 l (new)

7l. Underlines the important role that the Sahel plays from a strategic and security point of view, in this light strongly welcomes the foundation of the “G5 Sahel” in 2014 as well as theG5 Joint Force (G5 Force Conjointe) which was created in 2017 to combat the security threats in the region; reiterates its support to the G5 Sahel and its Joint Force and reconfirms its readiness to provide financial and military assistance to it, among others through the soon to be established European Peace Facility;

Amendment 188 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 l (new)

7l. Calls for the EU to address the consistent and growing threats to the protection and preservation of Africa’s cultural heritage and clamp down on the smuggling of cultural artefacts, especially in conflict zones; Notes that depriving societies of their cultural heritage and historical roots makes them more vulnerable to radicalization and more susceptible to global jihadist ideologies; calls for the EU to develop a broad strategy to counteract such threats;

Amendment 189 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 m (new)

7m. Highlights the fact that the mandates of the CSDP mission are comprehensive and aim among others to foster security sector reform, advance justice reform, strengthen military and police training as well as to advance oversight; Underlines the urgent need to improve the communication policy of CDSP missions as well as the EU’s overall strategic planning in order to increase the visibility of the EU’s actions and its aim to safeguard the security and wellbeing of African people;

Amendment 19 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Underlines that the process of development on the African continent is of key importance for the prosperity, stability and security of both the EU and Africa; underscores the importance of promoting better living conditions for Africans, and of adopting policies targeting young people that stimulate economic growth and create job opportunities;

Amendment 190 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 m (new)

7m. Highlights the special role of religious entities in Africa that regularly play a mediating role in conflicts , with whom dialogue and cooperation is needed, especially in the conflict areas as the interreligious dialogue between may contribute to peace and reconciliation;

Amendment 191 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 n (new)

7n. Recalls the threat that transnational organised crime, civil unrest and domestic crime pose to in particular fragile and post-conflict States, which struggle to provide the necessary security to their citizens; in this light underlines the importance of a well- trained national and regional police force, which however often lack both proper training and equipment, as well as most crucially do not always have the proper connection and trust of the local population; underlines hence the importance of strengthening and building professional police structures, and hence calls for intensified conceptual, logistical and administrative support, among others to the African Mechanism for Police Cooperation (AFRIPOL) in Algiers, which was launched in 2014, and believes that cooperation in this field will also help advance the capability of peacekeeping missions as well as foster the police component of the APSA;

Amendment 192 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 n (new)

7n. Notes that the information sphere in Africa is more and more influenced by our global adversaries; calls in this regard on the EEAS and EC to actively tackle the problem of lack of presence of European voice within the African societies and to counter false narratives and better promote the European approach and democratic values to the African people, which requires better strategic communication focused on key regions and countries, through establishing a special unit responsible for such actions in close cooperation with the EU Delegations;

Amendment 193 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 o (new)

7o. Underlines the dangers of proliferation of illicit small arms and recalls that these undocumented and mostly illegally held arms do not only threaten the safety and security of communities but are also used by dangerous transnational criminal networks engaged in various forms of trafficking, including of weapons, humans and illegal drugs;

Amendment 194 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 o (new)

7o. Stresses the need to provide more visibility of actions carried out within the framework of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI), and ensure coordination

Amendment 195 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 p (new)

7p. Urges the continuation of Annual Joint Consultative Meetings of the Political and Security Committee of the European Union and of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union with the objective to expand the scope of cooperation to include joint field visits, joint sessions, developing shared understandings and analyses on crisis situations, as well as investigating avenues for joint early action as the best means of establishing viable strategic partnership;

Amendment 196 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 p (new)

7p. Recalls that Africa is host to the highest number of Peace support operations (PSOs) in the world and the biggest contributor of troops and police; Points to the need to adapt(PSOs) across Africa to the new reality of COVID-19 in order to both adequately protect citizens as well as the staff of the PSOs; points to the need to ensure adequate financing for the missions given the fear of an imminent economic crisis and a reduction in available funding;

Amendment 197 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 q (new)

7q. Recalls the important role that the African Union and African States play in multilateral organisations, such as in particular the United Nations, where African States account for 28% of the membership, and underlines hence the importance of further deepening our political relations in order to reform the multilateral decision-making bodies to make them more just and representative, which is crucial in order to find solutions to our common global challenges;

Amendment 198 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 q (new)

7q. Calls on to ensure that CSDP missions are planned in an effective, accountable, robust way with efficient operations and stronger mandates tied to substantive political will aimed at resolving conflicts instead of freezing them,

Amendment 199 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 r (new)

7r. Reconfirms its support to the UN peacekeeping missions on the African continent and calls on key players, in particular the United States of America, Russia, China, as well as the United Kingdom, to join EU efforts to mediate and advance cooperation and sustainable peace throughout the African continent; reiterates in this regards the EU’s willingness to increase its support to UN missions and to advance coordination between the different UN and EU missions

Amendment 2 #

Stelios KYMPOUROPOULOS, Vangelis MEIMARAKIS, Anna-Michelle ASIMAKOPOULOU, Antonio LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Underlines that Europe and Africa are in close geographical proximity, have strong historical and cultural ties and are being brought ever closer by the increase in trade and shared challenges, including but not limited to migration, fundamentalism, terrorism and violations of International Law, which call for a continental-African approach and result- oriented use of EU resources;

Amendment 20 #

Giuliano PISAPIA, Maria ARENA, Attila ARA-KOVÁCS, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Dietmar KÖSTER, Javi LÓPEZ, Pierfrancesco MAJORINO, Juozas OLEKAS, Demetris PAPADAKIS, Andreas SCHIEDER, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Underlines that the process of sustainable development on the African continent is of key importance for the prosperity, stability and human security of both the EU and Africa; in this context recalls that the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the respect of human rights have to remain the main objectives of EU-African relations;

Amendment 200 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 r (new)

7r. Calls on to work closely with African partners to ensure security, resilience and deterrence against cybercrime and to prevent the exploitation of the Internet for terrorism and violent extremism.

Amendment 201 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 s (new)

7s. Points to the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and in this light recalls the many parliamentary meetings and missions the EP has conducted, notably the regular meetings between the European Parliament and the Pan- African Parliament; in this light, calls for a strengthening of the parliamentary dimension in the EU-AU relations, and calls for annual missions of key EP committees to meet and exchange on a regular basis with their African counterparts;

Amendment 202 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 s (new)

7s. Calls to ensure that EU aid does not prolong conflicts or facilitate the predatory behaviour of autocratic regimes; which lies at the root of many of Africa’s socio-economic problems and political conflicts; Stresses that the pursuit of common interests and cooperation must be consistent with international law, the EU’s fundamental values and the objectives of supporting democracy, good governance and human rights;

Amendment 203 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 t (new)

7t. Appreciates efforts to strengthen African-owned mechanisms and regulations of human rights protection such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and its protocols, the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights; continue to assist African partners in adaptation of their own human rights instruments and mechanism to internationally recognized principles, laws, and standards;

Amendment 204 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 t (new)

7t. Recalls the important work of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in fighting against impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes and therefore calls upon all African States who have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Rome Statue;

Amendment 205 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 u (new)

7u. Believes that more participation of women in politics will provide a platform to support empowering marginalized groups improve policies on issues such as access to education for girls, ending FGM and child marriage, combatting security challenges for young girls, and encouraging women entrepreneurship; Notes that the presence of increased female representation in some African nations is widely viewed as a very positive step forward; Observes however that women remain poorly represented in many other countries on the African continent.

Amendment 206 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 u (new)

7u. Recalls the importance of coordinating our Africa policy with other like-minded countries, such as the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom as well as Japan,

Amendment 207 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 v (new)

7v. Underlines, that EU-Africa cooperation must have a proper civil society element and hence cannot be a top-down approach, calls in this field for more efforts to advance people-to-people relations, especially among the youth, points in this context to the positive important long-term impact of Erasmus+;

Amendment 208 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 v (new)

7v. Calls on the EU to more actively engage with Africa in support of freedom of expression, media pluralism and safety of journalists;

Amendment 209 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 w (new)

7w. Emphasises the important role of a free and vibrant media and press sector and recalls that it is crucial in order to ensure a well-informed public which can define its own priorities and furthermore increases the resilience against fake news; encourages continued African efforts in the field of media freedom and support for journalists and underlines the important role of a free press when it comes to the fight against corruption and the supervision and accountability of public authorities;

Amendment 21 #

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Underlines that the process of development on the African continent is of key importance for the prosperity, stability and security of both the EU and Africa; notes the importance of EU support and cooperation with African countries to fight corruption in the African continent;

Amendment 210 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 w (new)

7w. Considers that the challenges posed by the refugee crisis have had a significant impact and placed considerable strains on countries in both Africa and the EU. Stresses the EU must be bold infighting against human trafficking and put forward a sustainable approach to deal with the refugee crises;

Amendment 211 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 x (new)

7x. Encourage the EEAS to increase its presence with Delegations throughout the continent, particularly at key AU Member States, in order to further advance our bilateral and regional relationships and ensure a proper exchange with relevant stakeholders; underlines that such close ties are the basis to ensure appropriate and well- structured global partnerships, as well as tailor-made responses; Calls upon the EEAS to significantly improve its media and communication strategy in order to not only foster awareness of the EU’s efforts in the respective regions, but also to increase awareness and support among EU citizens for an intensified EU-Africa cooperation;

Amendment 212 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 x (new)

7x. Recalls that the high amount of young talent in Africa can only reach its potential when Africa and its partners invest in education and innovation; Stresses that under good governance and successful development are an indispensable prerequisite to achieve this goal, and calls on to link development aid with anti-corruption measures, higher education standards and women empowerment;

Amendment 213 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 y (new)

7y. Recalls the importance of the role of the International Criminal Court in upholding the values of peace, security, equality, fairness, justice and compensation; stresses that the ICC serves as a vehicle for tackling the impunity of war criminals; calls for the European Union and African states to continue supporting the Rome Statute and the International Criminal Court;

Amendment 214 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 y (new)

7y. Underlines the crucial role of democracy and the role of free and fair elections, in this regard points to the numerous Election Observation Missions (EOM) by the EU, which are strongly supported by the European Parliament;

Amendment 215 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 z (new)

7z. Underlines the crucial role of water diplomacy given that as a result of climate change water risks becoming a more and more scarce resource, calls in this context on Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan to reach a peaceful and mutually beneficial solution regarding the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), welcomes the US and World Bank mediation in this case and calls upon the AU and EU to do all it can to facilitate a constructive solution;

Amendment 216 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 z (new)

7z. encourages the EU, European NGOs, political parties and civil societies to cooperate closely with African counterparts, including public officials to generate substantive political dialogue through the development of issue-based policies, promote strong practices of democratic governance, enhance representation and inclusion of marginalized populations; and promote meaningful participation by civil society and citizens in public life at all levels.

Amendment 217 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Is of the opinion that more efforts should be made to promote multi-party political systems and democratic governance in Africa, especially in fragile states, by facilitating citizen-government working groups, utilizing technology platforms to collect citizen input on policy issues and promoting best practices through peer-to- peer exchanges to enhance government accountability and responsiveness.

Amendment 218 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Recalls that climate change is real and happening faster than we thought, with devastating impacts on the African continent leading to stronger draughts and increased water scarcity; underlines the need of a more effective Climate Diplomacy in order to promote the links between domestic, foreign and international climate policy;

Amendment 219 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Encourages increased efforts to overcome the paradox that Africa, despite being abundantly rich in sustainable energy sources, is still largely relying on traditional energy sources, which contribute to climate change and furthermore are not inclusive since a large part of African households continue to suffer under energy poverty; encourages hence African countries to unlock their energy sectors’ huge potential for growth and jobs, and call upon private investors to engage in innovative projects; Recalls that promoting gender equality is one of the most effective ways to drive inclusive growth, reduce poverty and advance peace; Encourages further support to African women’s economic empowerment through education, skills transfer, access to finance and the set-up of businesses, and access to land;

Amendment 22 #

Stelios KYMPOUROPOULOS, Vangelis MEIMARAKIS, Antonio LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE, Anna-Michelle ASIMAKOPOULOU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Underlines that the process of development on the African continent and its alignment with International Law on maritime affairs, trade and protection of labour rights is of key importance for the prosperity, stability and security of both the EU and Africa;

Amendment 220 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Continues support for strengthening the electoral process, both by improving the African Union (AU) capacity in conducting long-term election observation up to international standards and bilateral cooperation with respective countries and their civil societies, with the aim to deliver inclusive, transparent and credible elections in Africa.

Amendment 221 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Stresses that EU-Africa relations should transition from a development-orientated relationship to one which aims to put African nations on an equal footing, characterized by ambitious trade relations to raise African standards while EU should assist African nations move toward self-reliance; believes that enhancing economic ties with Africa is vital to safeguarding the economic independence of African states;

Amendment 222 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Expresses deep concern that the rights of LGBTIQ persons in Africa are largely not protected throughout the continent; salutes South Africa for its progressive domestic legislation;

Amendment 223 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Recalls, that contrary to a common belief intra-regional migration continues to outpace extra-regional migration on the African continent, points to the fact that while economic and employment opportunities are the key driver of intra- African migration, migration also originates from security risks, regional conflicts, and environmental changes; encourages continued cooperation with the IOM and other UN agencies to provide additional support to refugees and internally displaced people, as we do in other parts of the world,

Amendment 224 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Highlights that the digital economy in Africa provides not only opportunities for increased job creation and data for actionable insights, but also the basis for recognizing human rights, accelerating access to quality basic services, improving transparency and accountability of governments, and enhancing democracy;

Amendment 225 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Recalls that open, inclusive, accountable governance is fundamental to delivering sustainable development, tackling global challenges and reduces the risk of spreading instability. Stresses that accountable institutions help to promote more equitable, sustained economic growth which helps tackle illicit financial flows, serious organized crime, and a culture of impunity; underlines importance of safeguarding for food security, notably in small-scale farming, climate change adaptation, the creation of more and better jobs, especially for young people, the empowerment of women and the support of education;

Amendment 226 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Is of the opinion that the EU should put more efforts on good governance, strengthening rule of law; reforming judicial systems and public financial management;

Amendment 227 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Stresses the importance of increased Foreign Direct Investment from the EU and its Member States as Africa has become a market of global competition, both economic and political. Is of the opinion that economic links are the best way to strengthen meaningful political cooperation and shared approaches to address common challenges. Insists that the EU develop a competitive approach for the investment and development of Smart city projects, the mining industry, connectivity and building national infrastructure; underlines that strategic relations whether in terms of trade, security or people- to people contacts need a certain level of connectivity by ports, harbours or airport sand calls to invest in these critical infrastructures which will serve to enable the very needed avenues for closer cooperation in terms of trade, tourism, people-to-people contacts, business and academic cooperation and security, without each meaning full political strategic partnership cannot be fully reached. Is of the opinion that investment via FDI in critical infrastructure must be implemented with a local labour force to ensure adequate transfer of best practices and cross community collaboration is maintained and to clearly differentiate between the value of European investment and Chinese or Russian investment.

Amendment 228 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Considers it of utmost importance to make sure that European financial aid is used efficiently and effectively in a transparent way to ensure that EU assistance does not amplify inefficient, unsuccessful, unaccountable, misgoverned or corrupted systems

Amendment 229 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Stresses the importance of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) as a tool for African nations to fully develop their own potential which would add to their autonomy and resilience from external pressures. Acknowledges the ambitions of African nations to overcome the existing challenges to AFCFTA and calls on the EU to share its experience; Is of the opinion that a single market and a single digital market would be a net value add in both economic, political and cultural terms

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Underlines that the process of development on the African continent is of key importance for the prosperity, stability and security of both the EU and Africa;, along with the transition to a closer and mutually beneficial strategic partnership

Amendment 230 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Recalls that a more holistic and integrated approach to address the specific problems of fragile states was also one of the key demands of the European Parliament in its 2017 report on the “ EU-Africa strategy: a boost for development”

Amendment 231 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Is of the idea that the EU-Africa strategy should also include assisting African countries in converting their mineral resource wealth into real development and calls for the review of effectiveness of existing measures, also with regard to questionable exploitation by China and Russia; Calls on the Commission and African partners for a smooth implementation of measures for the Conflict Minerals Regulation, and publish without delay including the list of companies outside the EU that do not fulfil requirements set out by Regulation2017/821,. Emphasizes Europe’s strengths — transparency, high quality goods and services, democratic governance — and trusts that the appeal of those fundamental values are a compelling alternative to authoritarian models;

Amendment 232 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Encourages African leaders to choose high-quality, transparent, inclusive, and sustainable foreign investment projects and supports access to financing opportunities that provide strong alternatives to external state-directed initiatives;

Amendment 233 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Is concerned at the widespread lack of medical devices in the health care sector in Africa that puts the health of health care workers and patients at risk, particularly in the case of virus outbreaks. Calls on the EU and its Member States to discover ways to assist African countries with medical supplies whenever possible

Amendment 234 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph null (new)

Calls for increased EU support for Africa in the area of debt reduction and debt sustainability as a clear message of solidarity in terms of Covid-19 pandemic crisis and underlines the need for international legislation and the creation of debt auditing commissions on cases of odious debt;

Amendment 24 #

David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER, Daniel CASPARY, Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Underlines that the process of development on the African continent is of key importance for the prosperity, stability and security of both the EU and Africa; stresses that peace and security are key conditions for economic and social development;

Amendment 25 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Underlines that ~~the process of development on the African continent is of key importance for the prosperity, stability and security of both the EU and Africa;~~a new partnership between Europe and Africa should be based on a clear understanding of their respective and mutual interests and responsibilities, reflecting the comprehensiveness and maturity of their relations

Amendment 26 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Is of the firm opinion that our partnership must be based on clear positions and priorities identified by our African partners and in this light believes that the upcoming 6th AU-EU Summit this fall provides a timely opportunity to listen to the African partners, to exchange on reciprocal demands and proposals and to define common objectives in order to enshrine them in the upcoming new EU Africa Strategy;

Amendment 27 #

Anna BONFRISCO, Marco ZANNI, Jérôme RIVIÈRE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Stresses the need for a conditionality mechanism as part of the EU-Africa joint strategy and the Cotonou agreements designed to stem migratory flows into the EU and ensure the repatriation of migrants not entitled to asylum and already in the EU;

Amendment 28 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Considers that stable democratic institutions, free and fair elections, education and literacy improvement, promoting gender equality, and the protection of vulnerable groups are all prerequisites of development and must be at the heart of EU-Africa cooperation.

Amendment 29 #

David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER, Daniel CASPARY, Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Stresses that the development of Africa depends on education inclusion and that it is necessary to continue addressing education inequalities and to increase investment in schooling and health policies and programmes for child and youth development;

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Underlines that Europe and Africa are in close geographical proximity, have strong historical and cultural ties and are being brought ever closer by a shifting geopolitical order, by the increase in trade and shared challenges~~, which call for a continental-Afr~~ such as the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, which call for a reinvigorated politicanl a~~pproach~~lliance and a results-oriented ~~use~~allocation of EU resources;

Amendment 30 #

Anna BONFRISCO, Marco ZANNI, Jérôme RIVIÈRE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)

2a. Welcomes the cooperation between the EU and Africa in combating terrorism and armed groups;

Amendment 31 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Underlines the numerous problems caused by illegal migrants in the Member States; it is necessary to put an end to departures - which frequently result in a high death toll - by identifying and closing down the routes used by criminal networks for illicit trafficking operations; consideration must also be given to the ambiguous role of NGOs in helping to manage migration flows, ensuring greater transparency and closer monitoring of European funding earmarked for this purpose;

Amendment 32 #

Katalin CSEH, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Javier NART

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Highlights that Africa is disproportionately affected by the adverse impacts of climate change; notes that it is our common responsibility to introduce measures to fight climate change through promoting climate proofing of investments, adaptation, decentralised access to renewable energy, and climate mitigation in the African continent;

Amendment 33 #

Anna BONFRISCO, Marco ZANNI, Jérôme RIVIÈRE, Thierry MARIANI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)

2b. Underlines that gender disparity in education remains a severe problem in Africa, especially in marginalised communities, and stresses the need to provide proper access to education, skills learning programmes, and real life opportunities for girls and women;

Amendment 34 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)

2c. Takes the view that that emigration from African countries is leaving them impoverished, depriving them of their human resources, while at the same time jeopardising security in Europe, particularly in first-port countries;

Amendment 35 #

Anna BONFRISCO, Marco ZANNI, Jérôme RIVIÈRE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 c (new)

2c. Recalls the need to support women's empowerment programmes in Africa through quality and affordable education, social justice, proper healthcare, increased self-reliance and financial independence;

Amendment 36 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 d (new)

2d. Urges the EU to focus on any form of radicalisation in Africa, especially among the jihadist movements, in order to prevent it spreading to Europe and elsewhere, and to collaborate with the Member States on drawing up anti- terrorist programmes, which remain a top EU priority;

Amendment 37 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 d (new)

2d. Stresses the importance of continuing the cooperation with African leaders for developing and promoting legislation fighting against sexual and domestic violence, sexual harassment, child marriage, marital rape, and any kind of abuse;

Amendment 38 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 e (new)

2e. Stresses the need to build a long- term shared strategy to fight human smuggling and illegal migration routes from African countries to the EU;

Amendment 39 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 f (new)

2f. Stresses the importance of the agricultural multi-sectoral transformation and rural development in all African countries and regions, leading to creation of jobs and decentralisation of communities from big urban areas;

Amendment 4 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Underlines that Europe and Africa are in close geographical proximity, have strong historical and cultural ties and are being brought ever closer by the increase in trade and shared challenges, from terrorism and migration to environment, health and climate change, which call for a continental-African approach and result- oriented use of EU resources;

Amendment 40 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses the urgent need for a stronger long-term and multi-faceted partnership, which should also translate into stronger political cooperation built on equality, trust, sovereignty and shared values; in this regard, stresses the importance of human rights, democracy, gender equality, governance, peace and security, as well as the climate, environment and biodiversity as the necessary foundations for a sustainable, inclusive and mutually beneficial EU- Africa partnership;

Amendment 41 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses the urgent need for a stronger long-term and multi-faceted partnership, which should also translate into stronger political cooperation built on equality, trust and shared values; and interests in order to tackle global issues such as, among others, climate change, food insecurity, access to water, population growth and urbanisation, youth unemployment and the attainment of the UN SDGs;

Amendment 42 #

Vladimír BILČÍK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses the urgent need for a stronger long-term and multi-faceted partnership, which should also translate into stronger political cooperation built on equality, trust and shared values; this partnership should be based on promoting and enhancing good governance, democracy, rule of law and respect for fundamental freedoms;

Amendment 43 #

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses the urgent need for a stronger long-term and multi-faceted partnership, which should also translate into stronger political cooperation built on equality, trust and shared values; highlights the importance of free and fair elections, law-based and peaceful power transitions in African countries;

Amendment 44 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses the urgent need for a stronger long-term and multi-faceted partnership, which should also translate into stronger political cooperation built on equality, mutual respect, trust and shared values;

Amendment 45 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Calls upon the EU institutions and the Member States to be a more coherent and unified actor in dealing with the African continent and to hence advance internal coordination in order to better define a common way ahead; along this line highlights the need to develop a coherent and all-encompassing strategy towards Africa, sometimes termed “Marshall Plan”, which must build on existing African and European efforts and is centred on creating economic opportunities and jobs, which is of key importance when recalling the demographic trends on the African continent; in this context points to the positive impact of “The External Investment Plan”, launched by then EC president Juncker in2017, and expresses its strong support to the “Africa-Europe Alliance for sustainable investments and jobs” which was launched as a result;

Amendment 46 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Stresses that a strong EU-Africa partnership needs a strong African Union, stresses that further steps regarding the EU-AU cooperation are needed to address key challenges both Europe and Africa are facing, highlights the important role of the EU in helping the African Union to exercise its mandate more effectively, in building peace and security across the continent and in driving the continental integration progress;

Amendment 47 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Emphasises the importance of orderly management of the migration flows between Africa and Europe based on the principles of cooperation, solidarity, balance and shared responsibility; stresses that both sides must combat human trafficking gangs;

Amendment 48 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Recalls that Africa is our closest neighbour, home to over 1 billion people and more than half of the world’s population growth by 2050 is expected to take place in Africa, while six out of the ten fastest growing economies in the world are African.

Amendment 49 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Notes that thirty-six of the world’s most fragile countries are located in Africa, often weakened by conflicts, while the continent hosts 390 million people living below the poverty line. Stresses that the population growth in some of the poorest and most underdeveloped countries, together with the effects of climate change and factors as radicalization and proliferation of organized crime will inevitably lead to a series of new challenges, which, if not addressed immediately, may result in uncontrolled migration waves, widespread terrorist activity and destabilization across borders, what would lead to extremely challenging scenarios for the African countries the European Union and its Member States;

Amendment 5 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Underlines that Europe and Africa are in close geographical proximity, have strong historical and cultural ties and are being brought ever closer by the increase in trade and shared challenges, which call for a continental-African approach and result- oriented use of EU resources ensuring transparency and monitoring procedures;

Amendment 50 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Stresses that in order to ensure appropriate levels of security and development, the African countries must have adequate capacities in all essential sectors, most importantly regarding security and defence; calls on the European Union to coordinate the development and security initiatives in which it is involved on the African continent as part of an integrated strategy that should include good governance, democracy, human rights, the rule of law and gender equality, with a particular focus on regions where vulnerabilities and tensions are the highest;

Amendment 51 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3c. Believes that the European Union, having as guidelines the UN Sustainable Security Goals, should ensure that development plans on the African continent are multi-sectorial and provide a real, global solution to the challenges of the region, such as terrorism, food insecurity, malnutrition, epidemics and climate change, together with high levels of inefficiency, lack of transparency and corruption of the administration;

Amendment 52 #

María Soraya RODRÍGUEZ RAMOS, Urmas PAET, Nathalie LOISEAU, Katalin CSEH, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Javier NART, Frédérique RIES, Hilde VAUTMANS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Notes that Africa is still undergoing the~~Supports Africa's process of integration at regional, continental and international level ~~and~~but notes that as yet 54 African countries remain divided and diversified in areas of key strategic importance to the EU, such as meeting internationally recognised standards and practices in trade, human rights, sustainable development and positioning in international organisations; calls on the EU to take the lead, both directly and by engaging with the international community, especially in the context of post covid-19 recovery, in initiatives aimed at supporting Africa in the area of debt reduction and debt sustainability, in particular in cases of odious debt; believes this would be an important step in building a "partnership of equals", as stated by the Commission, thus moving away from the donor- recipient relationship that has long characterised EU-Africa relations.

Amendment 53 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that Africa is still undergoing the process of integration at regional, continental and international level and that as yet 54 African countries remain divided and diversified in areas of key strategic importance to the EU, such as meeting internationally recognised standards and practices in trade, human rights, sustainable development and positioning in international organisations; calls on the EU to forge a stronger partnership between the EU and the African Union to tackle global common challenges, by focusing on strategic areas such as digital transformation and climate diplomacy, under the principle of common and differentiated responsibilities; urges the EU to continue its support to the integration process in Africa through the AU, namely by supporting the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Amendment 54 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. ~~Notes that Africa~~Reiterates its ~~still undergoing the process of~~continued support to regional integration atnd regional~~, continental and international level and that as yet 54 African countries remain divided and diversified in areas of key strategic importa~~ organisations, in particular ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African State), CEMAC (The Central African Economic and Monetary Community), EAC (East African Community), SADC (South Africa Development Community), IGAD (Intergovernmental Authority on Development) and ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States), as well as the ICGLR (International Conference ton the ~~EU, such as meeting internationally recognised standards and practices in trade, human rights, sustainable development and positioning in international organisations~~Great Lakes Region)and calls for an update of the various EU regional policies towards those regions (Gulf of Guinea, Sahel, Great Lakes, Horn of Africa); in this light also underlines the need to develop coherent EU internal responses to given challenges and crises, and address them through the “Team Europe” approach;

Amendment 55 #

Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that Africa is still undergoing the process of integration at regional, continental and international level and that as yet 54 African countries remain divided and diversified in areas of key strategic importance to the EU, such as meeting internationally recognised standards and practices in trade, human rights, sustainable development and positioning in international organisations; notes the importance of implementing the Africa Mining Vision adopted in 2009 by the African Heads of State and Governments to ensure transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of mineral resources.

Amendment 56 #

Lars Patrick BERG, Thierry MARIANI, Harald VILIMSKY

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

Amendment 57 #

Giuliano PISAPIA, Maria ARENA, Attila ARA-KOVÁCS, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Dietmar KÖSTER, Javi LÓPEZ, Pierfrancesco MAJORINO, Juozas OLEKAS, Demetris PAPADAKIS, Andreas SCHIEDER, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that Africa is ~~still undergo~~making steps forward ing the process of integration at regional, continental and international level ~~and that as yet 54 African~~; therefore stresses the need for a count~~ries remain divided and diversified in areas of key strategic importance to the EU, such as meeting internationally recognised standard~~inent-to-continent partnership between the European Union and the African Union; stresses that the partnership should be based on common interests and ~~pra~~objecticves ~~in trade, human rights, sustainable development and positioning in international organisations;~~ ; recalls that developing this EU-AU partnership would enable further regionalisation and should be considered as an option for ACP relations post-Cotonou;

Amendment 58 #

David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER, Daniel CASPARY

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that while Africa is ~~still~~ undergoing ~~the~~major processes of integration at regional, continental and international level and ~~that as yet~~ 54 African countries remain divided and diversified in areas of key strategic importance to the EU, such as meeting internationally recognised standards and practices in trade, human rights, and sustainable development ~~and positioning in international organisations;~~; Europe and Africa have a shared interest to cooperate on multilateralism and common agendas that can be addressed effectively only together

Amendment 59 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that Africa is still undergoing the process of integration at regional, continental and international level and that as yet 54 African countries ~~remain divided and diversified~~sometimes have diverging positions in areas of key strategic importance to the EU, such as meeting internationally recognised standards and practices in social justice, trade, human rights, gender equality, sustainable development and positioning in international organisations;

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Underlines that Europe and Africa are in close geographical proximity, have strong historical and cultural ties and are being brought ever closer by the increase in trade and shared challenges, which call for a continental-African approach and ~~result- oriented~~a use of EU resources geared to the just development of Africa;

Amendment 60 #

Peter van DALEN

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

Amendment 61 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that Africa isand the European Union are still undergoing ~~the~~a process of integration at regional, continental and international level and tsha~~t as yet 54 African countries remain divided and diversified in areas of key strategic importance to the EU~~re common challenges, such as meeting internationally recognised standards and practices in trade, human rights, sustainable development and positioning in international organisations;

Amendment 62 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Notes that Africa is still undergoing the process of integration at regional, continental and international level and that as yet 54 African countries ~~remain divided and diversified~~continue to differ greatly in areas of key strategic importance to the EU, such as meeting internationally recognised standards and practices in trade, human rights, sustainable development and positioning in international organisations;

Amendment 63 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Strongly welcomes the signals sent by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to make relations with Africa a centre piece of her mandate, underlined by her decision to make her first mission outside the EU to the Headquarter of the African Union in Addis Ababa on 7 December 2019, as well as the recent 10th AU-EU College-to-College meeting at the AU Headquarters on 27 February 2020, strongly welcomes the “whole of Commission” approach which involves the entirety of the Commission; reiterates that such personal encounters on the top- level are of utmost importance since next to fostering personal bounds, they also raise the public awareness of our partnership in our respective national medias; Calls therefore for a further intensification of these high-level meetings and exchanges, including business and civil society forums and meetings;

Amendment 64 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Stresses that the new EU - Africa Strategy should pave the way for fair and ethical trade; urges the EU and its Member States to acknowledge the difficulties encountered by African countries related to Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), especially in terms of regional integration, industrialisation and economic diversification and to revise EPAs accordingly; in particular, invites the EU and the African Union to have a frank dialogue on EPAs to evaluate to what extent such agreements contribute to the realisation of the economic goals of the AU’s 2063 Agenda, particularly the goal to increase intra-African trade to 50% by 2050;

Amendment 65 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls on the European Investment Bank to immediately strengthen its tax justice regime through ensuring that supported projects in Africa or companies with aggressive or harmful tax planning are forced to disclose information about their sales, assets, the number of employees, profits and tax payments in each country of operation.

Amendment 66 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls for the supply and use of funding, equipment and training for Africa to be monitored by the Member States with European Parliament oversight and scrutinised by the European Court of Auditors;

Amendment 67 #

Stelios KYMPOUROPOULOS, Vangelis MEIMARAKIS, Anna-Michelle ASIMAKOPOULOU, Antonio LÓPEZ-ISTÚRIZ WHITE

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Supports the view that the EU must maintain flexible country-to-country and sub-regional approaches that tailor its engagement and support to the specific needs and circumstances of each country within the five regions of Africa;

Amendment 68 #

Vladimír BILČÍK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Underlines the importance of supporting free, fair and competitive elections and credible electoral processes; supports coordination between the EU and the African Union on election observation missions;

Amendment 69 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Considers that intercontinental cooperation between EU and Africa can significantly contribute to the fight against xenophobia and fundamentalism and for the stabilisation of the Mediterranean region;

Amendment 7 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Underlines that Europe and Africa are in close geographical proximity, have strong historical, social and cultural ties and are being brought ever closer by the increase in trade and numerous shared challenges, which call for a continental- African approach and result- oriented use of EU resources;

Amendment 70 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Encourages African leaders to promote bold economic policies for industrialisation and for enabling an environment for market- based growth, promoting new energy resources in the process;

Amendment 71 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Stresses the importance of including legally binding human rights clauses in the EU's international agreements with the African continent; reaffirms that these clauses must also be included in all trade and sectoral agreements, with a clear and precise consultation mechanism modelled on Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement; in this respect, welcomes the inclusion of such a clause in the ‘new-generation’ free trade agreements; notes that the same approach of systematic inclusion should also be applied to the chapters on sustainable development in bilateral agreements;

Amendment 72 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Stresses that the EU and its Member States constitute Africa’s biggest partner on all accounts: investment, trade, development aid, humanitarian assistance and security; however this increasingly close cooperation is yet to result in a shared understanding or viable strategic partnership, in line with shared interests, growth potential, geographical proximity and centuries-old links between two continents;

Amendment 73 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Stresses the importance of continuing to boost Africa’s digital infrastructure in the process of digitalisation and to ensure proper connectivity and internet access across the continent, from rural to urban areas alike;

Amendment 74 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)

4c. Highlights that European interests in Africa range from trade, security, counter-terrorism, fighting organized crime, illegal migration and human trafficking, health, promotion of democracy and human rights, strengthening trade and investment relations, which demand a continental African approach that can reconcile these divergent strands into a comprehensive coherent strategy, which will be measured in its output, evaluated continuously and protect from overstretching the EU’s limited resources.

Amendment 75 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 d (new)

4d. Is of the opinion that a stronger long-term and multi-faceted partnership between the EU and Africa is urgent and must be reliable and should also translate into stronger political co-operation. Welcomes that the very first visit of the new President of the European Commission was to Africa and calls for more frequent high level meetings and contacts; Stresses that the EU must be confident in creating a fresh and modern approach to its Africa policy, thus creating a strong relationship built on equality, honest dialogue, trust and shared values;

Amendment 76 #

María Soraya RODRÍGUEZ RAMOS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Urmas PAET, Katalin CSEH, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Javier NART, Frédérique RIES, Hilde VAUTMANS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Welcomes the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 9 March 2020 entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa’ (JOIN(2020)0004); calls for strong and constant EU engagement in the security, stability and development of Africa; stresses the importance of assisting our partners in building more resilient states and societies, through capacity building and with a particular focus on good governance, parliamentary oversight and accountability; underlines the importance of building fairer societies and calls on the EU to cooperate and support African states in tackling the state capture phenomenon, characterised by oligarchic control and extractive practices by sections of state bureaucracies, which lies at the root of many of Africa’s socio-economic problems and political conflicts;

Amendment 77 #

Giuliano PISAPIA, Maria ARENA, Attila ARA-KOVÁCS, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Dietmar KÖSTER, Javi LÓPEZ, Pierfrancesco MAJORINO, Juozas OLEKAS, Demetris PAPADAKIS, Andreas SCHIEDER, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Welcomes the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 9 March 2020 entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa’ (JOIN(2020)0004); which underlines the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelated nature of all human rights and affirms EU and African commitments to promote and protect them; calls for strong and constant EU engagement in ~~the~~human security, stability and sustainable development of Africa; stresses the importance of including the principles of transparency and good governance in the EU-Africa Strategy and its planning, implementation and evaluation;

Amendment 78 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Welcomes the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 9 March 2020 entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa’ (JOIN(2020)0004); ~~calls for strong~~Underlines the need to adopt, within the Africa-EU partnership, a coordinated and comprehensive approach, both between the EU-AU and among the EU and its Member States, as provided for by Article 210 TFEU; calls on the EU to step up this joint perspective in view of the next EU- Africa Summit to be held in October2 020; calls for a strong, coherent and constant EU engagement in the security, stability and development of Africa;

Amendment 79 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Welcomes the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 9 March 2020 entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa’ (JOIN(2020)0004)~~; c~~, striving for a closer and more comprehensive partnership between the EU and Africa. Calls for strong and constant EU engagement in the security, stability and development of Africa; Expresses however, its disappointment that, according to our African neighbours, the communication “Towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa” has not been thoroughly discussed and developed with African partners before its publication;

Amendment 8 #

David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER, Daniel CASPARY, Isabel WISELER-LIMA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Underlines that Europe and Africa are in close geographical proximity, have strong historical ~~and~~, cultural ~~ties and are being brought ever closer by the increase in trade and shared challenges, which call for a continental-African approach and result-oriented use of EU resources~~and economic ties as well as shared challenges, which call for a stronger, equal, sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship;

Amendment 80 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Welcomes the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 9 March 2020 entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa’ (JOIN(2020)0004); in line with the priorities identified in the joint communication calls for strong and co~~nsta~~herent EU engagement in ~~the security, stability and development of Africa;~~promoting the green transition and energy access, digital transformation, sustainable growth and jobs, peace and governance, and a balanced and comprehensive approach to migration and mobility

Amendment 81 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. ~~Welcomes~~Calls for updating of the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 9 March 2020 entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa’ (JOIN(2020)0004) to reflect Africa’s health and economic needs in addressing the COVID-19 crisis; calls for strong and constant EU engagement in the security, stability and development of Africa;

Amendment 82 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. ~~Welcom~~Notes the joint communication from the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 9 March 2020 entitled ‘Towards a comprehensive strategy with Africa’ (JOIN(2020)0004); calls for strong and constant EU ~~engagement in the security, stability and development of Africa~~political cooperation with African countries to tackle common challenges like climate change, Sustainable Development Goals, and ending discrimination;

Amendment 83 #

Vladimír BILČÍK

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

Amendment 84 #

Lars Patrick BERG, Thierry MARIANI, Harald VILIMSKY

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

Amendment 85 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Considers that the new strategy with Africa must have as its main objective the eradication of poverty and inequalities, promoting human development; insists that relations with Africa must take place within a framework of mutual development and equal partners; stresses that, in order to permit mutual development and employment both within the African countries and the European Union, it is necessary to put in place a new model of multilateral cooperation that meets the needs of the people and is based on the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the guiding framework of the new relationship; calls for the European Union and its Member States to promote the participation of African representatives in international fora on equal terms;

Amendment 86 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Welcomes the five key areas of future cooperation identified by the joint communication "Towards a comprehensive Strategy with Africa" and the specific focus on the green transition and the digital transformation as key target areas for future cooperation; underlines that a green growth model has the potential to create virtuous cycles, boosting research, innovation, education, business environment and investment climate, ultimately leading to the creation of more jobs and a more inclusive society while at the same time combating climate change; calls on the EU to closely cooperate with Africa in order to maximise the mutual benefits of the green transition and minimise threats to the environment, in full compliance with the Paris Agreement;

Amendment 87 #

Giuliano PISAPIA, Maria ARENA, Attila ARA-KOVÁCS, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Dietmar KÖSTER, Javi LÓPEZ, Pierfrancesco MAJORINO, Juozas OLEKAS, Demetris PAPADAKIS, Andreas SCHIEDER, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Stresses the importance of a true inclusion of international and local civil society organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), parliamentary assemblies, the diaspora, trade unions, youth organisations, the private sector and local authorities in consolidating the political dialogue between the EU and Africa; calls on the AU and the EU to ensure unfettered civil society access to African and European institutions and their human rights mechanisms; further insists on the importance of creating an enabling environment for civil society and addressing an increasing crackdown on human rights defenders;

Amendment 88 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Emphasises the crucial role played by civil society and human rights defenders in enhancing democracy, peace, the rule of law and the protection of human rights across both continents; stresses the need to increase the participation of civil society in the Africa- EU partnership, promoting the reinforcement of its capacities and protection; calls on the European Union to support concrete initiatives to reinforce civil society organizations and human rights defenders as well as freedom of expression and of the media across Africa;

Amendment 89 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Regrets that the Communication lacks clear proposals for coordinated approaches between the EU and the AU to tackle common challenges which could be addressed jointly in multilateral systems (e.g. UN); stresses that HRVP and EU Missions in capitals throughout the African continent should be more active in presenting EU policy objectives. Encourages European think tanks and academia in this regard to cooperate more actively with their African counterparts;

Amendment 9 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Welcomes the Commission’s Communication “Towards a comprehensive Strategy with Africa” of 9 March and sees it as a step towards a truly geopolitical partnership; recalls that together the EU and Africa face a lot of challenges, ranging from climate change and energy issues, reforming multilateral institutions and global trade, advancing human and civil rights through the advancement of democracy, lifting communities out of poverty, providing decent living conditions through the provisions of economic opportunities and meaningful employment opportunities, advancing public health and access to health care, to the combat against armed groups, terrorism, as well as human trafficking in order to ensure stability and peace, and that only by acting together will we reach our common objectives; Emphasises that the EU’s relations with Africa are of utmost importance for the future of both our continents, touching upon all fields especially political, economic, societal, cultural, scientific, and academia, and must go beyond the traditional development and humanitarian cooperation in order to truly lift our partnership to the first rang of our relationships; strongly welcomes the five partnerships proposed by the Commission’s Communication and emphasis that these partnerships will become even more important and relevant in the context of the Covid-19pandemic; however points to the need to clearly define how the new strategy is supposed to be implemented and indicate which EU actor is in charge of doing what;

Amendment 90 #

Isabel WISELER-LIMA, David McALLISTER, Michael GAHLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Recalls that for a strong partnership we not only need a strong EU but also a strong African Union, therefore underlines the need to further strengthen the process of integration on the African continent as well as the institutionalization of the African Union, including the Pan-African Parliament, through the sharing of best practices as well as technical and financial assistance;

Amendment 91 #

Nathalie LOISEAU, Bernard GUETTA, Hilde VAUTMANS, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS, Nicolae ŞTEFĂNUȚĂ, Javier NART, Katalin CSEH

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Underlines that Africa's future relies in the hands of its young generation; calls the EU to support concrete initiatives for the empowerment of youth and women in its renewed EU- Africa strategy ensuring their active involvement in decision-making processes of civic and political life.

Amendment 92 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Highlights the importance of the upcoming EU-AU Summit scheduled for October 2020; trusts that this summit will adopt a new mutually-beneficial joint strategy which reflects the interests of both sides and strengthens the ties between the two continents;

Amendment 93 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Notes that Africa and Europe have a shared interest and responsibility when it comes to migration and mobility and stresses that managing migration calls for global solutions based on solidarity, the sharing of responsibility and respect for human rights and international law;

Amendment 94 #

Giuliano PISAPIA, Maria ARENA, Attila ARA-KOVÁCS, Raphaël GLUCKSMANN, Dietmar KÖSTER, Javi LÓPEZ, Pierfrancesco MAJORINO, Juozas OLEKAS, Demetris PAPADAKIS, Andreas SCHIEDER, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Recalls the AU and the EU’s joint commitment to collaborate on the global human rights agenda; calls on AU and EU institutions to prioritise cooperation at multilateral human rights fora and to act robustly in defence of crucial human rights gains at multilateral level; to this end, calls them to develop concrete strategies to counter the recent pushback on existing human rights norms at multilateral fora, including the universality and indivisibility of human rights; reminds EU and AU member states that they must deliver full political and financial support to their respective human rights mechanisms and ensure these, together with a strong and independent civil society, can guarantee delivery and further progress on human rights for all in Africa and Europe;

Amendment 95 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Regrets that the Commission’s communication neglects the dimension of foreign cultural policy and the promising potential within a deepened European- African cultural collaboration; therefore, urges the Commission and EEAS to prioritize this area by promoting and funding bi-continental partnerships between institutions and individuals; recalls the tremendous volume of displaced items of Sub-Saharan Africa’s material cultural legacy; thus, urges the Commission to propose an encompassing EU-African initiative to reflect on the entangled colonial histories and to investigate cases of illicit appropriation and to explore measures of repatriation and restitution of cultural artefacts of African origin.

Amendment 96 #

Idoia VILLANUEVA RUIZ, Manu PINEDA, Mick WALLACE, Marisa MATIAS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Stresses the vital role of digital transformation and digitalisation for sustainable development and resilience of societies that has been especially visible during the current global situation triggered by the COVID-19 crisis; calls for a continued, strengthened, systematic and mutually beneficial cooperation with the African states on digitalisation, innovative technologies and solutions at all levels of society, including on e- governance, e-commerce, digital skills and cybersecurity, in line with the Digitalisation for Development (D4D)approach;

Amendment 97 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Underlines that the participation of European, African and international civil society is an indispensable means for the strategy to have an impact and benefit the peoples of both continents; calls on the EC and the EEAS to involve civil society organisations and NGOs, especially local ones, in the implementation of the strategy at all phases of projects and programmes (planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation);

Amendment 98 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Regrets the limited consultation process and public debate during the process of drafting the EU-Africa Strategy; underlines the importance of future relations with Africa requires a broad involvement of civil societies of both continents; calls for a stronger engagement on all levels, including business, academia, think tanks, cultural and religious institutions and others;

Amendment 99 #

Olivier CHASTEL, Dragoş TUDORACHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Abir AL-SAHLANI, Hilde VAUTMANS, Fabienne KELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)

5c. Calls on the Commission to take into account African countries’ priorities on migration, more specifically the enhancement of legal migration and mobility, in order to forge a real “partnership of equals” and reiterates that EU funds and external policies should not be used in conditionality to migration policies; notes that African countries host a large part of the total amount of refugees and IDPs worldwide, whose precarious circumstances have been further exacerbated by the COVID- 19 crisis; calls for a more equal responsibility sharing for refugees in line with the Global Compact on Refugees through the increase of financial support and resettlement.

source: 653.741

2020/07/20 LIBE 86 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Pietro BARTOLO, Caterina CHINNICI, Birgit SIPPEL, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Dietmar KÖSTER, Giuliano PISAPIA, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls the particularly close historical ties binding the European Union (EU) and Africa, and th~~e EU’s major contribution both in terms of development aid1 and in the smooth functioning of the Af~~at an equal and sustainable cooperation based on political dialogue, joint ownership, solidarity and mutual confidence is paramount for tackling common challenges and achieving shared goal. Recalls that the EU is the world’s leading donor of development and humanitarican ~~Union (AU)2; _________________ 1 EUR 19.6 billion, 46%~~aid and that the Union's action ofn the ~~overall total (2018)https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pr esscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_375 2USD 327 million, 42% of its budget, E- 003478/2018~~international scene shall be guided by the principles of democracy, the rule of law, respects of human rights, the principles of equality and solidarity;

Amendment 10 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Recalls that poverty in the African continent remains a key motive for migration; considers that the EU can make better and more efficient use of its instruments such as the EU-Africa Trust Fund and could increase funding of the Erasmus+ Programme for youth education both within the EU and Africa

Amendment 11 #

Olivier CHASTEL, Dragoş TUDORACHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Abir AL-SAHLANI, Hilde VAUTMANS, Fabienne KELLER, Nathalie LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1c. Recalls that the principle of country ownership1a foresees that development policies and programmes can only succeed if they are led by developing countries, and if they are tailored to country-specific situations and needs; highlights the need to work together with civil society and local communities in this regard to ensure that people’s needs and vulnerabilities are addressed; _________________ 1aIncluded in the Busan Partnership for Effective Development Co-operation and in the Sustainable Development Goals (Objective 17).

Amendment 12 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 c (new)

1c. Invites to finalize important projects for the development of the African continent such as the fight against corruption, digitalization, sustainable development, the strengthening of the rule of law, the protection of minorities and the most vulnerable, notably children, gender equality, and equal opportunities for all.

Amendment 13 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 d (new)

1d. Recalls the importance of intra- regional African migration and the need to ensure that this regional mobility is not restricted by EU’s policies and projects ;

Amendment 14 #

Fabienne KELLER, Nathalie LOISEAU, Olivier CHASTEL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 e (new)

1e. Calls on the EU and its Member States to put the respect and promotion of human rights at the core of the new EU- Africa Strategy; stresses in particular the need to put the human rights of refugees and migrants at the heart of its partnership on migration with Africa and end the criminalisation of migrants and refugees;

Amendment 15 #

Pietro BARTOLO, Caterina CHINNICI, Birgit SIPPEL, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Dietmar KÖSTER, Giuliano PISAPIA, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. CRecognises that corruption is a complex global phenomenon which hampers efforts aimed at promoting democratic governance, socio-economic transformation, sustainable development, peace and security and may lead to many human rights violations; calls for the strengthening of efforts to combat corruption and staggering inequalities – constituting as it does a major obstacle to effective development, preventing Africa’s peoples from fully benefiting from the effects of joint EU-AU policies – to be taken into account in the comprehensive strategy with Africa; recommends EU and AU to better implement and enforce the existing national and international anti- corruption instruments and to make use of new technologies and digital services; highlights that the fight against corruption should also include measures to fight money-laundering, tax evasion and illicit financial flows;

Amendment 16 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls for the strengthening of efforts to combat corruption – constituting as it does a major obstacle to effective development, preventing Africa’s peoples from fully benefiting from the effects of joint EU-AU policies – to be taken into account in the comprehensive strategy with Africa; proposes stepping up the channelling of EU funds to direct beneficiaries via international organisations on the ground; stresses the importance of promoting human rights, women's and minority rights, democracy and good governance in EU-Africa relations, in particular by strengthening links to and support for civil society in African countries;

Amendment 17 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. CRecalls for the strengthening of efforts to combat corruption – constituting as it does a major obstacle to effective development, preventing Africa’s peoples from fully benefiting from the effects of joint EU-AU policies – to be taken into account in the comprehensithat illicit financial flows (IFFs) constitute a substantial problem for developing countries and that in Africa illicit financial flows amount to at least USD 50 billion — twice the amount of official development aid; stresses that the Report of the High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa assessed commercial activities as accounting for 65 per cent of IFFs; calls on the EU to adopt a stringent regulatory framework on corruption, mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence and corporate accountability for European companies inve st~~rategy with~~ing and operating in Africa;

Amendment 18 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls for the strengthening of efforts to combat corruption both in the EU and Africa – constituting as it does a major obstacle to ~~effective~~ development~~, preventing Africa’s peoples from fully benefiting from the effects of joint EU-AU policies – to be taken into account in the comprehensive strategy with Africa~~ - to be taken into account in the comprehensive strategy with Africa; calls for the development of monitoring mechanisms as well as full transparency and accountability of the EU funding;

Amendment 19 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 2

2. Calls for the strengthening of efforts to combat corruption –, human trafficking and migrant smuggling, illegal migration, and terrorism - constituting as it does a major obstacles to effective development, preventing Africa’s peoples from fully benefiting from the effects of joint EU-AU policies –- to be taken into account in the comprehensive strategy with Africa;

Amendment 2 #

Pietro BARTOLO, Caterina CHINNICI, Birgit SIPPEL, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Dietmar KÖSTER, Giuliano PISAPIA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls the particularly close historical ties binding the European Union (EU) and Africa, and the EU’s major contribution both in terms of development aid1 and in the smooth functioning of the African Union (AU)2 ; _________________ 1 EUR 19.6 billion, 46% of the overall total (2018)https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pr esscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_375 2USD 327 million, 42% of its budget, E- 003478/2018stresses the urgent need for a stronger long-term and multi- faceted partnership, which should also translate into stronger political cooperation built on equality, trust and shared values; in this regard, stresses the importance of human rights, democracy, gender equality, governance, peace and security, as well as the climate, environment and biodiversity as the necessary foundations for a sustainable, inclusive and mutually beneficial EU- Africa partnership;

Amendment 20 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

Amendment 21 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the issue of migration must be prioritised in a context in which more than half of all asylum applications in the EU are rejected in a final court decision3~~; takes the view, therefore, that we must focus on making returns more effective by signing readmission agreements and issuing consular laissez-passers~~ and are, therefore, unfounded; recalls that only a minority of unsuccessful asylum seekers are actually removed from European soil; asks therefore for the focus to be on making returns more effective by signing readmission agreements and issuing consular laissez-passers, but also on implementation of development programmes to combat the root causes of illegal migration and reintegrate asylum seekers on a long-term basis into the society to which they are returned; _________________ 3 Source: EUROSTAT

Amendment 22 #

Fabienne KELLER, Olivier CHASTEL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the issue of migration must be prioritised, particularly in view of the latest figures published by FRONTEX2a which show a very slight drop in numbers of arrivals despite this being during a serious health crisis, leading logically to an expectation that migration flows will increase or even explode in the future; reiterates that in a context in which more than half of all asylum applications in the EU are rejected in a final court decision3~~; takes the view, therefore, that we must~~, we must therefore focus on making returns more effective by signing readmission agreements and issuing consular laissez- passers; _________________ 2ahttps://frontex.europa.eu/media- centre/news-release/situation-at-eu- external-borders-in-may-detections- rebound-from-record-lows-M5smNj 3 Source: EUROSTAT

Amendment 23 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the issue of migration ~~must be prioritised in a context in which more than half of all asylum applications in the EU are rejected in a final court decision3; ta~~constitutes a long-term priority issue in EU-Africa relations and that a strong dialogue between the EU, the AU and the African states is needed on the issue in order to address the root causes of migration and promote partnerships on migration and mobility; considers that the fight against smugglers and human traffickers ~~the view, therefore, that we must focus on making returns more effective by signing readmission agreements and issuing consular laissez-passers; _________________ 3 Source: EUROSTAT~~must be conducted jointly with the two parties, and with the support of Europol, among others; proposes increasing EU support for the creation of reception centres in African countries for people fleeing wars or persecution, in order to ensure decent, humane and healthy conditions; proposes stepping up programmes for resettlement from African countries to the EU, for refugees;

Amendment 24 #

Olivier CHASTEL, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Abir AL-SAHLANI, Hilde VAUTMANS, Nathalie LOISEAU, Fabienne KELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that ~~the issue of~~ migration must be prioritised in a context in which more than half of all asylum applications in the EU are rejected in a final court decision3 ; takes the view, th~~erefore, that we must focus on making returns more effective by signing readmission agreements~~at we must develop a strong cooperation in the field of migration, established on the principles of solidarity, shared responsibility and respect for human rights; underlines the importance of ensuring effectiveness and due process in the return policy and in the conclusion of readmission agreements, giving preference to voluntary return, and isensuring ~~consular laissez-passers;~~that the rights and dignity of individuals are fully protected and respected. _________________ 3 Source: EUROSTAT

Amendment 25 #

Beata KEMPA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the issue of migration must be prioritised in a context in which more than half of all asylum applications in the EU are rejected in a final court decision3 ; takes the view, therefore, that we must focus on making returns more effective by signing readmission agreements and issuing consular laissez-passers; calls for strengthening of efforts to trace and combat criminal networks of smugglers which would contribute to the decrease in the number of illegal migrants coming to Europe from and through Africa; _________________ 3 Source: EUROSTAT

Amendment 26 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the issue of migration must be prioritised in a context in which more than half of all asylum applications in the EU are rejected in a final court decision3 ; takes the view, therefore, that we must focus on making returns more effective by signing readmission agrealls for the EU to put the human rights of refugees and migrants at the heart of its partnership on migration with Africa, ensuring the Strategy is grounded in the principles of solidarity, shared responsibility and respect for international law; emphasises that the EU and Member States should not apply conditionality on development aid against the African states compliance with returns and readmissions, migration managements and ~~issuing consular laissez-passers; _________________ 3 Source: EUROSTAT~~border control;

Amendment 27 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

Amendment 28 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the issue of migration must be prioritised in a context in which ~~more than~~almost half of all asylum applications in the EU are ~~rejected in a final court decision3~~ accepted; takes the view, therefore, that we must focus on making returns more effective by signing readmission agreements and issuing consular laissez-passers; ~~_________________ 3~~Source: EUROSTAT

Amendment 29 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3

3. Considers that the issue of migration must be prioritised in a context in which more than half of all asylum applications in the EU are rejected in a final court decision3 ; takes the view, therefore, that we must focus on making returns more effective by signing readmissionalls on the Commission to include African countries’ priorities on migration, in particular the enhancement of legal migration and mobility and the facilitation of remittance flows, into the announced New Pact on Migration and Asylum and in the new EU-Africa Partnership, in order to forge ag re~~ements and issuing consular laissez-passers; _________________ 3 Source: EUROSTAT~~al “partnership of equals”;

Amendment 3 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. ~~Recalls the particularly close historical ties binding the European Union (EU) and Africa, and the EU’s major contribution both in terms of development aid1 and in the smooth func~~Notes the EU’s important contribution in terms of development aid1; regrets that this contribution is often instrumentalised by the EU for its own interests on finance, geo-politics or migration policies; recalls that the new partnership should support a better proportionality and equality in terms of representation~~ing~~ of ~~the African Union (AU)2~~ both sides in global governance bodies; _________________ 1 EUR 19.6 billion, 46% of the overall total (2018)https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pre sscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_375 ~~2USD 327 million, 42% of its budget, E- 003478/2018~~

Amendment 30 #

Fabienne KELLER, Nathalie LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Reiterates that, as established in Article 208 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), development cooperation should have as its primary objective the reduction and, in the long term, the eradication of poverty and never be made conditional upon the cooperation of third countries on migration and border management; recognises the crucial role of migrants and diasporas as driving forces of development of countries of origin and destination alike; calls on the EU and Member States to actively refrain from engaging in policies and practices that exacerbate forced displacement and that compromise sustainable development in Africa;

Amendment 31 #

Pietro BARTOLO, Caterina CHINNICI, Birgit SIPPEL, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Dietmar KÖSTER, Giuliano PISAPIA, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Highlights that managing migration and mobility within Africa and between Africa and EU requires a common approach that must be founded on the principles of solidarity, partnership, shared responsibility and mutual accountability and guided by the respect for human rights and international and maritime law. This approach should also include common strategies to address and effectively tackle the root causes of forced displacement and migration; calls on the EU to further develop an effective resettlement policy and to Member States to make all the necessary efforts to offer their resettlement places to a meaningful number of refugees.

Amendment 32 #

Beata KEMPA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Stresses the need to strengthen international cooperation to fight with human trafficking taking into consideration that the large number of the victims come from Sub-Saharan Africa and the majority of human trafficking reports show Sub-Saharan Africa as a global player; calls for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary effort and coordination at all levels in cooperation with local governments including international law enforcement cooperation;

Amendment 33 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Considers that partnerships between the EU and the African countries of departure or transit of migrants need to be strengthened to improve the return, readmission and reintegration of people not eligible for asylum in the EU; proposes, therefore, encouraging the signing of readmission agreements and issuing of consular laissez-passers, thereby contributing to speeding up asylum procedures in the European Union;

Amendment 34 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Stresses that the EU and African nations should work together to tackle the root causes of illegal migration, by improving the sharing of information on criminal gangs and individuals who perpetuate human trafficking and migrant smuggling, the methodology used by these gangs and individuals, and financial data obtained with regard to their ‘business model’, in order to end their Modus Operadi;

Amendment 35 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Recalls the urgent need to develop safe and legal pathways for people in need of protection as well as labour visa facilitation to access the EU across skills levels and with social protection measures equivalent of EU citizens; calls on the EU and its Member States to step up its contribution to Global Resettlement Needs and to facilitate family reunification of third country nationals;

Amendment 36 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Points out that 17% of the world's population, namely 1.3 billion people, live at present in Africa; notes that according to forecasts, the population of sub- Saharan Africa is projected to double by 2050 and that more than half of global population growth by 2050 is expected to occur in Africa3 a ; _________________ 3ahttps://www.un.org/en/sections/issues- depth/population/index.html

Amendment 37 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Recalls that one of the decisive factors for migration among young Africans is the lack of opportunities versus aspirations in the countries of origin. Therefore, calls on the EU to invest much more in the promotion of good governance and democratic processes, as well the empowerment of democratic actors.

Amendment 38 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Calls for increased cooperation and coordination with African countries in order to effectively fight against human and arms trafficking networks and prevent migrant smuggling and uphold the fundamental rights and the protection of the victims of these crimes;

Amendment 39 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Suggests that African states that cooperate more on combating illegal immigration can receive more under the new strategy; in a partnership of equals, aid must be reciprocated;

Amendment 4 #

Olivier CHASTEL, Dragoş TUDORACHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Abir AL-SAHLANI, Hilde VAUTMANS

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls the particularly close historical ties binding the European Union (EU) and Africa, and the EU’s major contribution both in terms of development aid1 and in the smooth functioning of the African Union (AU)2 ; stresses the need for a future looking, equitable and ambitious relationship between the EU and Africa in order to tackle our shared challenges; _________________ 1 EUR 19.6 billion, 46% of the overall total (2018)https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pre sscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_375 2USD 327 million, 42% of its budget, E- 003478/2018

Amendment 40 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Recalls that up to 80% of all international migrants who originate from African countries are moving within the African continent, contributing to Africa’s development, prosperity and integration.

Amendment 41 #

Pietro BARTOLO, Caterina CHINNICI, Birgit SIPPEL, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Dietmar KÖSTER, Giuliano PISAPIA, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Recalls that migration and mobility between Africa and EU are beneficial for both continents providing employment opportunities on both sides; recalls that up to 80% of all international migrants who originate from African countries are moving within the African continent, contributing to Africa’s development, prosperity and integration; points out that regular migration must be the alternative to irregular immigration as it offers legal, safe and organised pathways to the EU;

Amendment 42 #

Tineke STRIK, Damian BOESELAGER, Sira REGO

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Notes that African countries host a large part of the total amount of refugees and IDPs worldwide, whose vulnerable situation has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis; calls for a global responsibility sharing for refugees in line with the Global Compact on Refugees, including through the increase of financial support, resettlement and the creation of humanitarian corridors and issuance of humanitarian visas;

Amendment 43 #

Olivier CHASTEL, Dragoş TUDORACHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Abir AL-SAHLANI, Hilde VAUTMANS, Fabienne KELLER, Nathalie LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Points out that some African countries do not have reliable civil registration agencies, and hence many of their citizens have no official existence in law and are, as a consequence, deprived of their civic rights and unable to take part in democratic processes and to vote; points out that this leads to a lack of reliable and pertinent demographic statistics;

Amendment 44 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Stresses the importance to develop a genuine circular migration policy enabling skilled and unskilled workers to benefit from an exchange of professional knowledge and mobility between the EU and Africa, allowing people to return to their countries of origin and, thus, promoting “brain gain”;

Amendment 45 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Calls for the EU and African nations to work together to create an effective and wide reaching information campaign regarding the risks and dangers of human trafficking and migrant smuggling in order to prevent individuals from endangering their lives in order to enter the EU illegally;

Amendment 46 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Calls on the EU and the Member States to take account of these demographic facts in policies in order to prepare for the unavoidable future migration crisis;

Amendment 47 #

Tineke STRIK, Damian BOESELAGER, Sira REGO

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)

3b. Recalls the need to set up a dedicated and common European civil search and rescue operations to end the loss of life at sea;

Amendment 48 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3c. Calls on the EU and African countries to expand safe and regular migration channels between Europe and Africa as well as regular mobility on the African continent, so as to reduce human rights violations and migrants’ deaths on dangerous migratory paths and to maximise the benefits of migration in line with the Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration; in that context, calls on the Commission to ensure and monitor that the cooperation on migration management does not affect intra-Africa mobility;

Amendment 49 #

Pietro BARTOLO, Caterina CHINNICI, Birgit SIPPEL, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Dietmar KÖSTER, Giuliano PISAPIA, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3c. Underlines the need to guarantee fair and accessible asylum procedures for people in need of international protection both in the EU and in African countries; recalls that mass expulsions and refoulement are prohibited under EU and international law principles; emphasises that returns should only be carried out safely after the assessment of each individual case and the undertaking of complaints procedure and that voluntary returns should always be prioritised over forced returns.

Amendment 5 #

Olivier CHASTEL, Dragoş TUDORACHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Abir AL-SAHLANI, Hilde VAUTMANS, Fabienne KELLER, Nathalie LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1

1. Recalls the particularly close historical ties binding the European Union (EU) and Africa, ~~and~~ the EU’s major contribution both in terms of development aid1 and in the smooth functioning of the African Union (AU)2 ;and reaffirms that the partnership between Africa and the EU must be established between two equal entities that are loyal and credible partners. _________________ 1 EUR 19.6 billion, 46% of the overall total (2018)https://ec.europa.eu/commission/pre sscorner/detail/en/qanda_20_375 2USD 327 million, 42% of its budget, E- 003478/2018

Amendment 50 #

Olivier CHASTEL, Dragoş TUDORACHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Abir AL-SAHLANI, Hilde VAUTMANS, Fabienne KELLER, Nathalie LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)

3c. Recalls that brain drain is a problem that needs to be addressed with the utmost attention in order to design a genuine and sustainable strategic partnership with Africa; supports prioritizing eligible applications for work permits from countries of origin and transit to the EU (for instance, through embassies or online) in order to discourage migrants from migrating irregularly and ease the burden on the asylum system.

Amendment 51 #

Tineke STRIK, Damian BOESELAGER, Sira REGO

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)

3d. Calls for sustainable return and reintegration to be accompanied by robust and long-term policies supporting returnees and tackling structural issues in countries of origin, including sustainable and fair economic structures, good governance and rule of law and respect of human rights and gender equality; calls for priority to always be given to voluntary return;

Amendment 52 #

Tineke STRIK, Damian BOESELAGER, Sira REGO, Olivier CHASTEL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 e (new)

3e. Stresses the importance of including in the new strategy concrete actions aimed at empowering migrant and diaspora groups to contribute to the shaping, implementation and monitoring of the new strategy and for increased involvement of EU and African civil society in shaping the strategy and monitoring its implementation;

Amendment 53 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 f (new)

3f. Stresses the importance of climate change as a risk multiplier for conflict, drought, famine and migration in Africa and worldwide; underlines the ruling of the UN Human Rights Committee of 20 January 2020 on a complaint by an individual seeking asylum from the effects of climate change, whereby it stated that countries may not deport individuals who face climate change-induced conditions that violate the right to life; calls on the EU-Africa Strategy to explicitly address climate migration and urges the EU to provide additional pathways for people affected by climate change, especially when fleeing slow-onset changes of the environment, by improving the flexibility of legal channels for migrants workers and their families, including resettlement and mobility schemes and preferential access for workers coming from regions affected by climate change;

Amendment 54 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Supports the digitisation and modernisation of public administration in African countries, in particular with a view to developing reliable civil registration agencies and promoting data exchange so as to combat terrorism and organised crimeNotes the strong focus put on digital economy in the new EU-Africa strategy; highlights that the COVID-19 outbreak demonstrates Africa’s vulnerabilities linked, among other causes, to poor economic diversification, high dependency on export of raw materials, the lack of universal health coverage, and the lack of universal access to energy, water and sanitation; questions, in light of the above, this priority setting as part of the EU-Africa Strategy; reiterates that, especially in a context of financial constraints, developing digital technologies should not prevail over more urgent challenges to be addressed in Africa, including in terms of fulfilling basic human needs such as access to electricity, education and sanitation; supports a digitalisation agenda for the EU-Africa Partnership that ensures equal access, use and creation of digital technology, with a view to bridging the digital gap, including the digital gender gap;

Amendment 55 #

Fabienne KELLER, Nathalie LOISEAU

4. ~~Supports the~~Highlights the boost of digitisation projects and modernisation of public administration in African countries by the EU and its Member States, in particular with a view to developing ~~reliable~~ civil registration agencies ~~and promoting data exchange so as to combat terrorism and organised crime~~; underlines the risks of misuse of these systems by governments prosecuting oppositors or human rights defenders; insists that this data shall not be transferred to third countries, including the EU and its Member States beyond any international agreement;

Amendment 56 #

Pietro BARTOLO, Caterina CHINNICI, Birgit SIPPEL, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Dietmar KÖSTER, Giuliano PISAPIA, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Supports the digitisation and modernisation of public administration in African countries, in particular with a view to ~~developing reliable civil registration agencies and~~providing for equal access and equal opportunities for all citizens, thus stabilising democracy; calls for the strengthening of efforts to promoting data exchange so as to combat terrorism, transnational and organised crime;, including cybercrime and trafficking in human beings; all data exchanged must be subject to relevant data protection and privacy laws

Amendment 57 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Supports the digitisation and modernisation of public administration in African countries, in particular with a view to developing reliable civil registration agencies and promoting data exchange so as to combat terrorism and organised crime; reiterates that the fight against terrorism is a common priority; calls on the EU to continue in its efforts and to provide a more comprehensive assistance to African partners in regions affected by terrorism;

Amendment 58 #

Olivier CHASTEL, Dragoş TUDORACHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Abir AL-SAHLANI

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. SNotes that African nations are a hub on innovation, entrepreneurialism, and small and medium sized businesses, therefore, supports the digitisation and modernisation of public administration in African countries, in particular with a view to developing reliable civil registration agencies and promoting data exchange so as to combat terrorism and organised crime;

Amendment 59 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

Amendment 6 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Recalls that while the EU is both Africa's biggest investor and its biggest development fund donor, with almost EUR 20 billion allocated every year by the EU and its Member States, as a region sub-Saharan Africa still ranks lowest in the world on the human development index;

Amendment 60 #

Fabienne KELLER, Olivier CHASTEL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4

4. Supports the digitisation and modernisation of public administration in African countries, in particular with a view to developing reliable civil registration agencies, secure identity documents, and promoting data exchange so as to combat terrorism and organised crime;

Amendment 61 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls in particular for closer EU- Africa cooperation and a joint strategy on professional migration by improving channels for legal entry to the Union, in response on the one hand to demographic changes in the Union and current and future shortages of low, medium and highly skilled workers, and on the other to avoid migrants being pushed into using channels for irregular migration;

Amendment 62 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Points out that a gender perspective should be mainstreamed throughout the strategy, in addition to specific measures and a specific budget allowance for women rights, involving youth, feminist, and women-led organisations; emphasises that the strategy shall guarantee sexual and reproductive health and rights as well as protection and promotion of LGBTI rights;

Amendment 63 #

Fabienne KELLER, Olivier CHASTEL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Calls upon the EU to work hand- in-hand with African nations in order to work towards a global data protection standards that will enable data flows in the future, which in turn will help tackle crime and strengthen our mutual economies;

Amendment 64 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)

4b. Deems it essential that both parties benefit equally from any such professional migration policy and that it does not lead to a brain drain and outflow of expertise from African countries to EU countries; supports in this regard programmes whose goal is to train the same number of workers in the country of origin as work permits issued per skilled post in the EU, in order to contribute actively to the prosperity, innovation and growth of African countries;

Amendment 65 #

Fabienne KELLER

Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 c (new)

4c. Considers that the fragmentation of national regulations on professional migration in the Union, together with the complexity and highly bureaucratic nature of the procedures, discourages recourse to the EU's legal migration channels; recommends the establishment of a harmonised and non-bureaucratic EU application procedure under the EU- Africa partnership; proposes, in regard to work permits, promoting the use of online applications and delivery or via embassies and consulates in the African countries, to dissuade workers from resorting to irregular migration channels or asylum procedures in the Union;

Amendment 66 #

Pietro BARTOLO, Caterina CHINNICI, Birgit SIPPEL, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Dietmar KÖSTER, Giuliano PISAPIA

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

Amendment 67 #

Fabienne KELLER, Nathalie LOISEAU, Olivier CHASTEL

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Welcomes Africa’s sustained economic growth; calls, therefore, on the AU to do its utmost to guarantee a decent future for its young people, the main driving force behind the continent’s development4 , and thus to contribute to stopping the arrival of unaccompanied minors in Europe and to cooperate in readmitting those eligible for returnRecalls that Africa is home to the largest youth generation in history4; calls, therefore, for strong investments in the human development of young generations through ensuring access to rights, including education, nutritious food, healthcare, including sexual and reproductive healthcare and rights services and the respect for human rights, stresses that these actions are central to lifting people and youth out of poverty; _________________ 4 62% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is under 25 years of age https://population.un.org/wpp/Publications/ Files/WPP2019_Highlights.pdf

Amendment 68 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. Welcomes Africa’s sustained economic growth; calls, therefore, on the AU to do its utmost to guarantee a decent future for its young people, the main driving force behind the continent’s development4, and thus to contribute to stopping the arrival of unaccompanied minors in Europe and to cooperate in readmitting those eligible for returnNotes that while global economic growth on the African continent may be higher than the global average, there are still significant disparities, both between the countries themselves, where some are even experiencing declining growth, and in per capita GDP; calls on the AU to do its utmost to support fair and inclusive economic growth that benefits everyone, and in particular young people, the main driving force behind the continent's development4; _________________ 4 62% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is under 25 years of age https://population.un.org/wpp/Publications/ Files/WPP2019_Highlights.pdf

Amendment 69 #

Jan-Christoph OETJEN

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

Amendment 7 #

Olivier CHASTEL, Dragoş TUDORACHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Abir AL-SAHLANI, Hilde VAUTMANS, Fabienne KELLER, Nathalie LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Recalls the importance of designing the strategic partnership with Africa by strengthening the links established with the AU but also by developing regional cooperation and trilateral EU-AU-UN dialogue.

Amendment 70 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

5. ~~Welcomes~~Hopes for Africa’s sustain~~ed economic growth~~able development; calls, therefore, on the AEU ~~to do its utmost to guarantee a decent future f~~and its Member States to work i~~ts young people, the main driving force behind the~~n this direction based on African count~~inent’s~~ries own development4 , and thus to contribute to stopping the arrival of unaccompanied minors in Europe and to cooperate in readmitting those eligible for return; _________________ 4 62% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is under 25 years of age https://population.un.org/wpp/Publication s/Files/WPP2019_Highlights.pdf goals; recalls that specific actions should be taken to protect migrants from death, disappearance, family separation, and violations of their rights including the principle of non- refoulement and the best interest of the child;

Amendment 71 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

Amendment 72 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5

Amendment 73 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls for the idea of mandatory solidarity in receiving and allocating migrants among Member States, due to figure in the next pact on migration and asylum, to be dropped and for the ban on the principle of mass regularisation by Member States to be included therein;

Amendment 74 #

Pietro BARTOLO, Caterina CHINNICI, Birgit SIPPEL, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Dietmar KÖSTER, Giuliano PISAPIA, Evin INCIR

5a. Emphasises the pivotal role played by civil society, worldwide in supporting democracy and consolidating the political dialogue; stresses the need to increase the participation of civil society organisation - including NGOs in the EU-Africa Strategy process.

Amendment 75 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Stresses the importance of developing sound policies for equal access to quality education, inclusive skills learning programmes for all children and creating cross-sector opportunities for social progress and economic growth;

Amendment 76 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Calls on the EU to provide direct and indirect assistance to migrants and refugees near the homes they fled from but also to step up its commitments on resettlement in the EU for the most vulnerable.

Amendment 77 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Deplores that many economic migrants apply for asylum in the EU due to the lack of alternative channels; calls on the EU to develop more channels for legal migration to facilitate mobility and unburden the overloaded asylum system; considers a more open visa policy to be a sustainable approach to simplify labour migration; highlights the importance of economic partnerships between European and African businesses, notably SMEs, to boost economic opportunities for both continents.

Amendment 78 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Welcomes the efforts of African leaders for developing and promoting legislation fighting against sexual and domestic violence, sexual harassment, child marriage, marital rape and any kind of abuse and stresses the need for further cooperation;

Amendment 79 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)

5b. Calls on the EU and the Member States to make aid granted to African countries conditional upon agreements on the effective readmission of all illegal immigrants present in the EU who are eligible for return;

Amendment 8 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)

1a. Highlights the important cultural and economic contributions of African diaspora to the EU, and the importance of remittances to African countries’ development and recovery from crises;

Amendment 80 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. ~~Calls for the security and interests of the European continent and its citizens to be taken into account~~Recognises the close links between resilience, security, peace and governance and stresses the importance of focusing on human security, addressing the root causes of conflict and ensuring that any EU engagement is conflict-sensitive and based on the needs and initiatives of local populations, in particular civil society initiatives for peace and democracy.

Amendment 81 #

Olivier CHASTEL, Dragoş TUDORACHE, Jan-Christoph OETJEN, Abir AL-SAHLANI, Hilde VAUTMANS, Fabienne KELLER, Nathalie LOISEAU

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Calls for the human security ~~and interests of the~~of the African and European continents and ~~its~~their citizens to be taken into account; points out the need to prioritise both parties’ public health systems to guarantee universal access to health services, including research and development of global health.

Amendment 82 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Calls for the ~~security and interests of the European continent and its citizens to be taken into account~~interests and legitimate expectations of both Africans and Europeans to be taken into account, including through the direct participation of civil society organisation in the EU- Africa Strategy process.

Amendment 83 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Calls for the security, European identity and interests of the European continent and its citizens to be taken into account.

Amendment 84 #

Pietro BARTOLO, Caterina CHINNICI, Birgit SIPPEL, Sylvie GUILLAUME, Dietmar KÖSTER, Giuliano PISAPIA, Evin INCIR

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6

6. Calls for the security and interests of bothe European and African continent and ~~its~~their citizens to be taken into account.

Amendment 85 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Stresses that empowering women and girls, and protecting them from human trafficking, violence and exploitation must be a priority in our cooperation with African nations; notes that this can be aided by the exchange of best practice and specific EU initiatives regarding education and health for women and girls; stresses that ensuring the equality, fundamental rights and freedom of women and girls, is an essential component of fighting criminality and strengthening the African economy;

Amendment 86 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Calls for cooperation between the EU, the Member States and the African States to be developed even more and for a massive increase in resources for controlling the external and internal borders to stop the movement of populations towards Europe;

Amendment 9 #

Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)

1b. Recalls that development aid is aimed at eradicating poverty and inequalities and that it should be distributed at local and regional level amongst the countries that most need it based on these only criteria; regrets that the EU prioritises more and more development aid for countries due to their role of transit country or country of origin with migration control objectives at the expense of countries in which the EU has no strategic interest;

source: 655.708

2020/07/24 DEVE 568 amendments...

Amendment 1 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)

- having regard to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030,

Amendment 10 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 4 a (new)

- having regard the EU Action Plan for Human Rights and Democracy 2020- 2024,

Amendment 100 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses that the coronavirus crisis must prompt both continents to commit to a partnership that takes full account of its causes, consequences and paves the way for a sustainable and inclusive recovery focused on ~~human development~~stronger health systems to prevent, detect and respond to newly emerging pandemics and accelerate the response to existing ones, human development and on food systems based on small-scale agroecological family farming and territorial markets, and faster transitions, including green and digital transitions;

Amendment 101 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses that the coronavirus crisis must prompt both continents to commit to a partnership that takes full account of its consequences and paves the way for a sustainable and inclusive recovery focused on human development, notably in terms of education and health and faster transitions, including green and digital transitions;

Amendment 102 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3

3. Stresses that the coronavirus crisis must prompt both continents to commit to a partnership that takes full account of its consequences and paves the way for a sustainable and inclusive recovery focused on human development, sustainable growth, good governance and faster transitions, including green and digital transitions;

Amendment 103 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Emphasise that illiteracy, lack of quality education and trained professionals is a barrier of sustainable development and more comprehensive development actions are needed in this sector to combat inequalities, assist empowerment of women and girls and to achieve SDG4;

Amendment 104 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3 a (new)

3a. Calls for the new EU-Africa strategy to respond to the current COVID 19 crisis, in a way that would address and mitigate consequences for the youngest people;

Amendment 105 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Highlights the commitment of the international community to achieving the 17 SDGs; considers that the Africa-EU partnership ~~will determine to a decisive degree whether that commitment is met~~should be based on a strategic and cross-cutting approach that incorporates all of the SDGs in order to establish best practice in responding to the global challenges of poverty, inequality, climate and environmental change, lasting prosperity, peace and justice;

Amendment 106 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Highlights the commitment of the international community to achieving the 17 SDGs; considers that the Africa-EU partnership will determine to a decisive degree whether that commitment is met, recalls that the two continents represent a political weight of 81 countries and calls on both parties to enhance their cooperation in multilateral fora to effectively address global challenges;

Amendment 107 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Highlights the commitment of the international community to achieving the 17 SDGs; considers that the Africa-EU partnership will determine to a decisive degree whether that commitment is met; emphasises that all dimensions of the partnership must be aimed at achieving the 2030 Agenda and that the interconnections between its sustainable development goals must be acknowledged;

Amendment 108 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Highlights the commitment of the international community to achieving the 17 SDGs while respecting the 2030 Agenda principles; considers that the Africa-EU partnership will determine to a decisive degree whether that commitment is met;

Amendment 109 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Highlights the commitment of the international community to achieving the 17 SDGs; ~~consider~~hopes that the Africa-EU ~~partnership will determine to a decisive degree whether that commitment is met~~cooperation will somewhat support progress that is led and fully managed by the individual nations of Africa;

Amendment 11 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 a (new)

- having regard to the Special Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on the impacts of global warming of 1.5 °C, its Special Report on Climate Change and Land, and its Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere,

Amendment 110 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4

4. Highlights the commitment of the international community to achieving the 17 SDGs in an integrated manner; considers that the Africa-EU partnership will determine to a decisive degree whether that commitment is met;

Amendment 111 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Deeply regrets the funds reduction for the development and humanitarian policy in the NGEU and MFF approved by the Council meeting in July. Calls for a substantial increase in funds allocation for humanitarian aid and development policy , for an MFF consistent with the commitment of a new partnership with Africa and the achievement of the SDGs;

Amendment 112 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)

4a. Emphasises the importance of the partnership within the multilateral system, and calls for the implementation of close, inclusive and systematic coordination prior to any major event with regard to global governance;

Amendment 113 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses the need to ensure full consistency and complementarity between the new strategy and the future post- Cotonou Agreement as well as to ensure that the continent-to-continent partnership is implemented in coherence with local, national and regional contexts and specific needs;

Amendment 114 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses the need to ensure full consistency and complementarity between the new strategy and the future post- Cotonou Agreement and other development actions and policy areas of the union to achieve more coherence in EU development policy;

Amendment 115 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses the need to ensure full consistency and complementarity between the new strategy and the future post- Cotonou Agreement, and to build on the lessons learnt from the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES);

Amendment 116 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses the need to ensure full consistency and complementarity between the new strategy and the "African pillar" of the future post- Cotonou Agreement;

Amendment 117 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses the need to ensure full consistency and complementarity between the new joint strategy and the future post- Cotonou Agreement;

Amendment 118 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5

5. Stresses the need to ~~ensure full~~strive for consistency and complementarity between the new strategy and the future post- Cotonou Agreement;

Amendment 119 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5 a (new)

5a. Points to the importance of parliamentary diplomacy and recalls the many parliamentary meetings and missions the EP has conducted, notably the regular meetings between the European Parliament and the Pan- African Parliament; in this light, calls for a strengthening of the parliamentary dimension in the EU-AU relations, and calls for annual missions of key EP committees to meet and exchange on a regular basis with their African counterparts;

Amendment 12 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 5 b (new)

- having regard to the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) of 29 May 2019,

Amendment 120 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses the importance of the AU with regard to the integration of the African continent; welcomes the recent visits by the leaders of the European institutions to Addis Ababa; calls for these contacts to be stepped up and made more regular at the highest political level; takes the view that regular joint addresses by the leaders of the African Union and the European Union would improve the visibility of our partnership and demonstrate the importance given to it in the political agendas of both continents; considers that these addresses should enable feedback on partnership implementation, stakeholder inclusion in the process, progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and a discussion of the major issues common to both continents;

Amendment 121 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. SRecalls that the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerability of the global supply chain (through the disruption in international supply chains, notably in health) and the need to boost intra-African trade, which is considered to be the lowest in the world (intra- African trade accounts for 14% of the total), despite the proliferation of Regional Economic Communities (RECs); stresses the importance of the AU with regard to the integration of the African continent; welcomes the recent visits by the leaders of the European institutions to Addis Ababa; calls for these contacts to be stepped up and made more regular at the highest political level;

Amendment 122 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses the importance of the AU with regard to the integration of the African continent, which should be define and based on African societies’ needs, as well as the need to strengthen its autonomy by reducing its dependency to external funding and improving its governance structure; welcomes the recent visits by the leaders of the European institutions to Addis Ababa; calls for these contacts to be stepped up and made more regular at the highest political level;

Amendment 123 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. Stresses the importance of the AU with regard to the integration of the African continent and calls on the EU to support integration efforts at a regional and a continental level; welcomes the recent visits by the leaders of the European institutions to Addis Ababa; calls for these contacts to be stepped up and made more regular at the highest political level;

Amendment 124 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6

6. ~~Stresses the importance of the AU with regard to the integration of the African continent; w~~Welcomes the recent visits by the leaders of the European institutions to Addis Ababa; calls for ~~these~~ contacts to be stepped up and made more regular at the ~~highest~~ political level;

Amendment 125 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 – indent 1 (new)

- Underlines the importance of good governance and state-building for sustainable development; highlights that promoting rule of law and supporting citizen-driven access to justice would significantly contribute to realize fundamental citizens’ rights in both regions; Stresses the benefits of a partnership for improved fiscal capacity which would impede the loose of revenue trough illicit financial flows and tax evasion;

Amendment 126 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Notes that the Commission aims to deepen Economic Partnership Agreements, that are deemed to be in line with the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); stresses that a partnership of equals entails to take into account the concerns of African countries in terms of economic diversification, industrialisation, loss of government revenues and regional integration; urges the EU to acknowledge diverging views on EPAs and to find concrete solutions to respond to African countries concerns, notably regarding their priority of building regional value chains and boosting intra-African trade; reiterates its request to have an in-depth analysis on the impact of EPAs, as well as enforceable sustainable development and human rights provisions in all currently negotiated and future EPAs;

Amendment 127 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 a (new)

6a. Believes that democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights must be at the core of this new strategy;

Amendment 128 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6 b (new)

6b. Recalls the interdependence of security and development in Africa and that the EU remains Africa’s main partner in the field of peace and security; recognises the results achieved under the African Peace Facility, notably in support of African-led peace operations;

Amendment 129 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

~~7. Stresses the need to involve African and European civil society in the definition and evaluation of the new strategy, in order to create a people- centred partnership;~~deleted

Amendment 13 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 6

— having regard to Agenda 2063 of the African Union (AU) adopted ion ~~May 2014~~31 January 2015 at the 24th Ordinary Assembly of the Heads of State and Governments of the African Union in Addis Ababa,

Amendment 130 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the need to involve African and European as well as Diaspora civil society in the definition and evaluation of the new strategy, in order to create a people-centred partnership; and that the EU’s efforts to engage civil society must be undertaken in an inclusive and transparent manner, offering opportunities for participation of civil society representatives from all levels, including local and grassroots actors; emphasises that, to create a people- centred partnership, not only is such civil society engagement crucial, but also the EU’s commitment to fighting all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, inside and outside its borders;

Amendment 131 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the need to involve African and European civil society in the definition and evaluation of the new strategy, in order to create a people-centred partnership; Recalls the need to recognise and promote the multiple roles and contributions of civil society organisations and therefore the need to involve them at all levels of political and policy dialogue ; calls on the EC and the EEAS to involve civil society organisations and NGOs, especially local ones, in the drafting and implementation of the strategy at all phases of projects and programmes (planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation);

Amendment 132 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the need to involve African and European civil society in the definition and evaluation ~~of the new strategy, in order~~and implementation of the new strategy and that the EU’s efforts to engage civil society must be undertaken in an inclusive and transparent manner, offering opportunities for participation of civil society representatives from all levels, including local and grassroots actors; emphasises that, to create a people- centred partnership, not only is such civil society engagement crucial, but also the commitment to fighting all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, inside and outside its borders;

Amendment 133 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the need to involve African and European civil society in the definition and evaluation of the new strategy~~, in order to create a people-centred partnership~~ and that the EU’s efforts to engage civil society must be undertaken in an inclusive and transparent manner, offering opportunities for participation of civil society representatives from all levels, including local and grassroots actors; emphasises that, to create a people-centred partnership, not only is such civil society engagement crucial, but also the EU’s commitment to fighting all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, inside and outside its borders;

Amendment 134 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the need to involve African and European civil society in the definition, implementation and evaluation of the new strategy, in order to create a people-centred partnership; calls for implementation of the financial resources and necessary framework to enable civil society organisations to undertake regular monitoring;

Amendment 135 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the need to involve African and European civil society, including young people, representatives of local communities, minorities, churches and religious communities, in the definition and evaluation of the new strategy, in order to create a people-centred partnership;

Amendment 136 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the need to involve African and European civil society including NGO’s, local authorities, the private sector, the diaspora and parliamentarians of both regions in the definition and evaluation of the new strategy, in order to create a people-centred partnership;

Amendment 137 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the need to involve all of African and European civil society in the definition, implementation, and evaluation of the new strategy, in order to create a people-centred partnership, inclusive of and accessible to all;

Amendment 138 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the need to involve African and European civil society in the definition and evaluation of the new strategy, in order to create a people-centred partnership, inclusive of and accessible to all;

Amendment 139 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7

7. Stresses the need to involve African and European civil society in the definition and evaluation of the new and existing strategyies, in order to create a people- centred partnership;

Amendment 14 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 7 a (new)

- having regard to the Abidjan Declaration, the outcome of the 4th Africa-Europe Youth Summit, 11th of October 2017,

Amendment 140 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)

7a. Underlines the crucial role played by civil society and human rights defenders in enhancing democracy, peace, the rule of law and the protection of human rights across both continents;

Amendment 141 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 b (new)

7b. Considers that parliamentary assemblies plays a fundamental role in strengthen the political dialogue between the EU and Africa and stressed the importance of their true and systematic inclusion;

Amendment 142 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for systematic and transparent monitoring by all stakeholders, including European and African civil society and communities, of the implementation of the strategy and for compliance with the principles of policy coherence for development and of policy coherence for sustainable development;

Amendment 143 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for systematic and transparent monitoring by all stakeholders of the implementation of the strategy, including local authorities and national parliaments, and for compliance with the principle of policy coherence for development;

Amendment 144 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for systematic and transparent monitoring by all stakeholders of the implementation of the strategy and for compliance with the principles of policy coherence for development and of policy coherence for sustainable development;

Amendment 145 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8

8. Calls for systematic ~~and~~, transparent and evidence-based monitoring by all stakeholders of the design, implementation and evaluation of the strategy ~~and for complianc~~in line with the principle of policy coherence for development;

Amendment 146 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Stresses the importance to take into account all structural causes and external factors to insecurity and poverty in Africa by addressing the root causes of conflicts, hunger, climate change, inequalities, lack of basic services, inappropriate agriculture model, promoting political and inclusive solutions to conflicts and implementing a comprehensive approach focusing on alleviating the suffering of the most vulnerable section of the population;

Amendment 147 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Recalls that human security should be the guiding principle of the new EU Strategy with Africa to ensure a people-centred approach; accordingly, stresses the importance to take into account all structural causes and external factors to insecurity and poverty in Africa;

Amendment 148 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 a (new)

8a. Takes the view that the role of North African countries should be enhanced within the partnership and trilateral cooperation promoted to give a new boost to North-South and South- South cooperation, and improve coherence of the continental approach;

Amendment 149 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8 b (new)

8b. Calls to review the economic policies and the so called "structural reforms" promoted in the last decades by the IMF and the World Bank, and also by the African and European countries, which have increased African and southern countries dependence on debt, privatized common and strategic goods and weakened public sectors, increased social inequalities and the precariousness of work;

Amendment 15 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)

- having regard to the Declaration of the 4th Africa-Europe Youth Summit held in Abidjan from 9 to 11 October 2017,

Amendment 150 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that the role of diasporas is fundamental to mutual understanding between the two continents and that their remittances are essential for local economies; warns that, according to the World Bank, remittance flows to Africa are expected to decline by about 20% in 2020 due to the COVID 19 crisis, and notably in least-developed countries where they are a vital source of income for poor households; calls therefore on EU and African countries to work towards reducing remittances costs and ensuring that the most vulnerable populations are not left behind;

Amendment 151 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that the role of diasporas is fundamental to mutual understanding between the two continents and that the~~ir remittances are essential for local economies~~ EU should enable diaspora engagement in policy-making by fostering structures to ensure the involvement of diaspora groups in social and political affairs, in particular in development cooperation and transnational partnership such as the EU-Africa partnership; and recalls that their remittances are essential for local economies and that these costs should be reduced to less than 3% by 2030 in line with SDG target 10c;

Amendment 152 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that the role of diasporas is fundamental to mutual understanding between the two continents and that the~~ir remittances are essential for local economies;~~ EU should enable diaspora engagement in policy-making by fostering structures to ensure the involvement of diaspora groups in social and political affairs, in particular in development cooperation and transnational partnerships, and recalls that their remittances are essential for local economies and that migrant remittances costs should be reduced to less than 3% by 2030 in line with SDG target 10c;

Amendment 153 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that the role of diasporas is fundamental to mutual understanding between the two continents and that their remittances are essential for local economies; Calls on the European Commission to consider how best to work with the diaspora as part of the comprehensive strategy with Africa, including through exploiting synergies between internal and external funding instruments when tackling common challenges, such as combatting Female Genital Mutilation (FGM);

Amendment 154 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that the role of African diasporas is fundamental to ~~mutual understanding between the two continents and that their remittances are essential for local econom~~the ability to enhance the return process from the EU to Africa; as the diasporas may provide Africa with European experience and knowledge, that African nations might avail themselves of should they so decide, for the possible advancement of their societies;

Amendment 155 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that the role of diasporas is fundamental to building bridges and promoting mutual understanding between the two continents ~~and~~; points out that their remittances are essential for local economies and that their costs should be reduced in line with SDG 10.c;

Amendment 156 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that through knowledge transfer, investment and remittances, the role of diasporas is fundamental to mutual understanding between the two continents and that the~~ir remittances are essential for local economies~~ EU should enable the full integration of diasporic expertise in the EU-Africa partnership;

Amendment 157 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9

9. Believes that the role of diasporas is fundamental to mutual understanding between the two continents and that their financial and social remittances are essential for local economies in both regions;

Amendment 158 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Calls for a coordinated approach amongst member State’s diplomatic and consular representations, EU delegations and European and local stakeholders with the EUNIC, to implement common projects and joint actions in third countries based on the principles of cultural relations which focus on building mutual trust and understanding through people-to-people dialogue between Europe and Africa;

Amendment 159 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9 a (new)

9a. Recognizes the importance of remittances as context-sensitive investments and stresses the need to cut the cost of remittance fees to close to zero, and at minimum to the 3%, as called for in SDG 10;

Amendment 16 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 a (new)

- having regard to the Abidjan Declaration of the 4th EU-Africa Youth Summit held in Abidjan 9 - 11 October 2017,

Amendment 160 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

~~10. Points out that the success of the partnership will depend on the funding earmarked for it; calls for a massive support effort for Africa under the future NDICI;~~deleted

Amendment 161 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Points out that the success of the partnership will depend on the funding earmarked for it; calls for a massive support effort for Africa under the future NDICI; stresses that for the EU-Africa relations to move away from a donor- recipient dynamic and to empower African countries’ to deliver on sustainable development, the renewed partnership framework must foresee concrete actions to support increased domestic resource mobilisation in African countries, such as supporting the fight against corruption and the development of progressive tax systems, tackling tax avoidance and evasion, and revising tax treaties with African countries;

Amendment 162 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

Amendment 163 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Points out that the success of the partnership will depend on the funding earmarked for it; calls for a massive support effort for Africa under the future NDICI, ,stresses that for the EU-Africa relations to move away from a donor- recipient dynamic and to empower African countries’ to deliver on sustainable development, the renewed partnership framework must foresee concrete actions to support increased domestic resource mobilisation in African countries;

Amendment 164 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. ~~Points out~~Recalls that the success of the ~~partnership will depend on the funding earmarked for it; calls for a massive support effort for Africa under the future NDICI~~cooperation and especially the development in African nations will depend on the financial envelopes allocated to it by African governments and naturally, the level of honest and transparent commitments as well as subsequent implementation of development interventions by respective African government;

Amendment 165 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10

10. Points out that the success of the partnership will depend on the funding earmarked for it; calls for a massive support effort for Africa under the future NDICI; notes, further, the importance of domestic resource mobilisation within African countries;

Amendment 166 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. ~~Calls for the full involvement of all the Member States~~Takes the view that the partnership should involve all 27 countries of the EU and 55 countries of the AU; calls henceforth for the full involvement of all the Member States of the EU, in addition to Africa’s historic partners, and for the visibility of the partnership to be raised among Europeans and partner countries;

Amendment 167 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Calls for the full involvement of all the Member States ~~and~~, for the visibility of the partnership to be raised among Europeans and partner countries and for adequate funding of the EU-Africa partnership in the future NDICI while pointing out that the EU continues to be the largest donor in Africa;

Amendment 168 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Calls for the full involvement of all the Member States and for the visibility and value of the partnership to be raised among Europeans, Africans and partner countries;

Amendment 169 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11

11. Calls for the full involvement of all ~~the~~ Member States ~~and for the visibility of the partnership to be raised among Europeans and partner countrie~~in transparent scrutiny of any EU funds used in the cooperation process;

Amendment 17 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 8 b (new)

- having regard to the current European Union Gender Action Plan (GAP II – “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment: Transforming the Lives of Girls and Women through EU External Relations 2016-2020”),

Amendment 170 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Underlines that the objective of the EU to strengthen the international rules- based order and the multilateral system entails to support greater fairness and equality of representation of Africa in global governance bodies; in particular, calls on the EU to support Africa’s request to expanding the UN Security Council in order to include permanent representation for their continent;

Amendment 171 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Notes that the addressing of protracted conflicts require joints actions taken by humanitarian and development actors and partners with high local legitimacy and credibility, therefore calls for fostering humanitarian-development nexus approach in the EU’s response with strong local ownership;

Amendment 172 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Calls for the new EU-Africa strategy to more actively invest in human development, especially in public health and education, to respond to existing and emerging epidemics, and any other actions that could help addressing and mitigating the damage;

Amendment 173 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Emphasises the role of the European Parliament in monitoring and overseeing the effective implementation of the partnership;

Amendment 174 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)

11a. Underlines its belief that Africa, as a resource rich continent, with dynamic and developing economies that show high levels of growth, a growing middle class and a young and creative population, is a continent of opportunities which has demonstrated on numerous occasion that economic progress and development is possible;

Amendment 175 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)

11b. Believes that mutual understanding and respecting of cultural, religious and social sensibilities and national competencies are essential starting points for a comprehensive and mutually beneficial strategy;

Amendment 176 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)

11b. Welcomes the intention by the Commission to make the “Africa-Europe Alliance” the central pillar of the economic relations between the two continents, and reiterates, that sustainable long-term economic development, and the subsequent creation of decent and well- paid jobs, in particular for the youth, is the prerequisite for the development and flourishment of an African middle-class and hence ultimately the attainment of political stability, democracy as well as increased civil and human rights; points in this light to the need for structural economic reforms and the importance of advancing domestic production and manufacturing capacities as well as raising skills, which would help to reduce the dependency on foreign imports; Recalls the need for the EU to enhance support to SMEs and points to the opportunities of the EU’s Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME) to promote business-to-business cooperation and joint ventures with African companies, which would furthermore not only increase the visibility of business opportunities but also foster the much- needed access to finance and access to technology through a transfer of know- how; furthermore underlines the need to improve investments protection schemes to facilitate and encourage further investments;

Amendment 177 #

Motion for a resolution
Subheading 2

Partners for human and economic development

Amendment 178 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls for human development to be ~~placed at the heart of the strategy~~the guiding principle of the strategy to ensure a people centred approach, with priority given to addressing inequalities and poverty and ensuring good governance, social inclusion and human rights access to opportunities and enhancement of solution oriented skills, taking in account the principle “leaving no one behind”; stresses that social inclusion and human development should focus on basic social services as health, education, nutrition, water, sanitation, hygiene, and social protection;

Amendment 179 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls for human development to be placed at the heart of the strategy, to ensure no one is left behind with priority given to addressing inequalities and poverty and ensuring good governance, social inclusion and human rights, to gender equality, health, nutrition, WASH, education and human rights for all, with special attention to most marginalized and vulnerable populations, including young children, LGBTI persons and persons with disabilities;

Amendment 18 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 a (new)

- having regard to the European Union’s Gender Action Plan 2016-2020 (GAP II), adopted in 2015,

Amendment 180 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls for human development to be placed at the ~~heart~~centre of the strategy~~, w~~. With the top priority ~~given to addressing inequalities and poverty and ensuring good governance, social inclus~~to ensure good governance, social inclusion and human rights as long as this does not conflict with and is in respect of local tradition, customs and culture; Europe must at all cost avoid further embracing of the neo-colonial agenda that for so long impeded and harmed the natural development of the different cultures, nations and ~~human rights~~peoples of Africa;

Amendment 181 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls for human development to be placed at the heart of the strategy, with priority given to addressing inequalities, discrimination and poverty and ensuring good governance, social inclusion and human rights on both continents; to this end, stresses the need to put at the heart of the partnership the access to basic services (health, water, hygiene, sanitation, social protection) for all;

Amendment 182 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls for human development to be placed at the heart of the strategy, with priority given to addressing inequalities and poverty and ensuring good governance, social inclusion ~~and human r~~, and access to quality education, and human rights according to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights;

Amendment 183 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls for human development to be placed at the heart of the strategy ensure that no one is left behind, with priority given to addressing inequalities and poverty and ensuring good governance, social inclusion and human rights for all, with special attention to most marginalized populations, such as persons with disabilities;

Amendment 184 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls for human development to be placed at the heart of the strategy to ensure no one is left behind, with priority given to addressing inequalities and poverty and ensuring good governance, social inclusion and human rights for all, with special attention to most marginalized populations, such as persons with disabilities;

Amendment 185 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls for human development to be placed at the heart of the strategy to ensure no one is left behind, with priority given to addressing inequalities and poverty and ensuring good governance, social inclusion and human rights with special attention also to persons with disabilities;

Amendment 186 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

Amendment 187 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls for human development to be placed at the heart of the strategy, with priority given to addressing inequalities ~~and~~, poverty, access to food and water and ensuring good governance, social inclusion and human rights;

Amendment 188 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12

12. Calls for human development to be placed at the heart of the strategy, with priority given to education, addressing inequalities and poverty and ensuring good governance, social inclusion and human rights;

Amendment 189 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Points out that poverty eradication is one of the main SDGs on which the new partnership needs to rest; notes that this objective will be achieved through stable and sustainable economic growth, and that this is only possible with a solid network of infrastructure, health and education investment programmes, and stable and transparent public institutions; notes that, in turn, these economic growth factors are only possible with prior capital accumulation, something that creates a vicious circle; recalls that the aim of allocating 0.7% of GDP to Official Development Assistance was one of the primary instruments for breaking this vicious circle; deplores the fact that Official Development Assistance across the EU as a whole fell to 0.47% of Gross National Income in 2018, down from 0.5% in 2017; notes that the current system of ODA has been unable to generate sufficient commitment from the EU and the international community to meet its objective of eradicating poverty; takes the view that the creation of a new Global Poverty Fund, operating as a multilateral body within the United Nations system, based on donations and not on loans, with stable contributions focused on the needs of the recipient countries, would be a more effective strategy in the fight against poverty;

Amendment 19 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 10 a (new)

- having regard to the2019 report from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation 2019 entitled "The State of the World's Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture", and its report on State of the World's Forests 2016,

Amendment 190 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Underlines that the lack of social and economic opportunities, in combination with rapid population growth and youth unemployment, are breeding grounds for youth radicalization and migration; stresses the need to prioritize education and health as well as to cooperate on the issues in the EU-Africa Comprehensive Strategy;

Amendment 191 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)

12a. Believes it is essential, in order to give priority to human development, to guarantee an universal access to basic social services and to quality health systems, to ensure inclusive social protection, to counter inequalities and discrimination and to progress towards a fair redistribution of resources;

Amendment 192 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Stresses the importance of developing a joint AU-EU strategy which puts youth at the heart of the partnership, and that takes into consideration the conclusions of the 2017 Youth Summit; in this regard, emphasizes that human development and attention to youth should be prioritised in their own right and as an essential factor for sustainable development, so all people can reach their full potential; calls on the EU to promote universal access for all young people, in all their diversity, including adolescent girls and girls with disabilities, to youth- friendly health services, including sexual and reproductive health and HIV services, that are equitable, accessible, affordable and needs-based, including in conflict and humanitarian settings;

Amendment 193 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Stresses the importance of developing a joint AU-EU strategy which puts youth at the heart of the partnership; calls on the EU to promote universal access for all young people, in all their diversity, including adolescent girls and girls with disabilities, to youth-friendly health services, including sexual and reproductive health and HIV services, that are equitable, accessible, affordable and needs-based, including in conflict and humanitarian settings;

Amendment 194 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. SPoints out that the African population has doubled in the last 30 years and that this strong demographic growth is expected to continue in the coming decades, and thus stresses the importance of developing a joint AU-EU strategy which puts youth, the real driver of the continent’s future, at the heart of the partnership;

Amendment 195 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Stresses the importance of developing a joint AU-EU strategy which puts youth at the heart of the partnership; Emphasises that the best way to empower youth is to develop and promote opportunities for them to advance, most particularly through employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, as well as opportunities to participate in democratic processes and decision-making;

Amendment 196 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Stresses the importance of developing a joint AU-EU strategy which puts youth at the heart of the partnership; takes the view that this strategy should particularly strengthen the opportunities for youth exchanges and volunteering, giving priority in the proposed contacts and projects to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals;

Amendment 197 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Stresses the importance of ~~developing a joint AU-EU strategy which puts youth at the heart of the partnership~~providing the African youth with education and tools for building stabile and resilient communities in their respective nations in Africa and this should be at the centre of any support provided by the member states via the EU;

Amendment 198 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Stresses the importance of developing a joint AU-EU strategy which puts youth at the heart of the partnership; taking into consideration the effects of Erasmus+;

Amendment 199 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Stresses the importance of developing a joint AU-EU strategy which puts youth , social and environmental justice at the heart of the partnership;

Amendment 2 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 a (new)

- having regard to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 adopted by the United Nations on 18 March 2015,

Amendment 20 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 20

— having regard to the UN Global Compact on Refugees adopted on 17 December 2018 and to the decision of non-signatory countries,

Amendment 200 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Stresses the importance of developing a joint AU-EU strategy which puts children and youth at the heart of the partnership;

Amendment 201 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13

13. Stresses the importance of developing a joint AU-EU strategy which puts children and youth at the heart of the partnership;

Amendment 202 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)

13a. Underlines that Africa has one of the biggest young population in the world, which represent a huge challenge in term of education but, at the same time, an asset for the future development of the continent; calls for putting education at the centre of development aid, stresses that education for all is a horizontal and holistic issue; thus calls on Members States and the European Union to consider education as a key objective in the new strategy and to develop other fields of the strategy with this key concept in mind;

Amendment 203 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13 a (new)

13a. Calls on the institutions of the European Union and the African Union to create internship opportunities for young Europeans in the African Union and for young Africans in the European Union in order to train them in the respective integration processes;

Amendment 204 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Takes the view that ~~gender equality and~~ women’s empowerment must be mainstreamed into the partnership;

Amendment 205 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Takes the view that gender equality and women’s empowerment must be mainstreamed into the partnership; calls, therefore, on its counterparts actively to promote women’s role in, and contribution to, the economy and society, recognising their civil and legal rights, including the right to own property and the right to participate in different economic and political sectors, as provided for in Article 17 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;

Amendment 206 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Takes the view that gender equality and girls’ and women’s empowerment must be mainstreamed into the partnership, calls on the European Commission to ensure synergies between the EU-Africa partnership and the new Gender Action Plan III to achieve gender equality on both continents; calls on the EU-Africa partnership to fully implement the Maputo Protocol on the rights of women in Africa;

Amendment 207 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Takes the view that gender equality and women’s empowerment must be mainstreamed into the partnership and emphasis placed on women’s participation in decision-making; calls for a joint roadmap on the objectives to be achieved with regard to women’s rights;

Amendment 208 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Takes the view that gender equality and women’s empowerment must be mainstreamed into the partnership in full compliance and respect of local cultures and not forced upon nations in Africa in a neo-colonial manner;

Amendment 209 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Takes the view that gender equality and ~~women’s~~the empowerment of women and people with disabilities must be mainstreamed into the partnership;

Amendment 21 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21

~~— having regard to the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration adopted on 19 December 2018,~~deleted

Amendment 210 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Takes the view that gender equality and women’s empowerment must be prioritized and mainstreamed into the partnership;

Amendment 211 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14

14. Takes the view that gender equality and women and girl’s empowerment must be mainstreamed into the partnership;

Amendment 212 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)

14a. Calls for mainstreaming of the rights of persons with disabilities in Africa across the Strategy, and across all the financial instruments mobilized; takes the view that this can only be achieved through meaningful engagement of civil society organisations, including organisations of persons with disabilities;

Amendment 213 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)

Amendment 214 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)

14a. Calls for the preparation of an ambitious GAP III and for enhanced efforts to be made, in particular, to put an end to violence, female genital mutilation and forced marriage;

Amendment 215 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

~~15. Notes that the consequences of the coronavirus crisis could further restrict access to sexual and reproductive health and exacerbate the problem of discrimination and violence against women;~~deleted

Amendment 216 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. ~~Note~~Stresses the fact that access to and respect for sexual and reproductive health and rights is a crucial component of the EU-Africa partnership, notes the urgent need to address that the consequences of the coronavirus crisis ~~could~~have further restrict access to sexual and reproductive health and exacerbate the problem of discrimination and violence against women and girls, as well as threaten their access to education, employment and their nutrition; calls on the European Commission to prioritise sexual and reproductive health and rights in the new EU-Africa partnership and to commit to the promotion, protection and fulfilment of the right of every individual to have full control over, and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality and sexual and reproductive health and rights, free from discrimination, coercion and violence;

Amendment 217 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. ~~Note~~Stresses the fact that access to and respect for sexual and reproductive health and rights is a crucial component of the EU-Africa partnership, notes the urgent need to address that the consequences of the coronavirus crisis ~~could~~have further restricted access to sexual and reproductive health and exacerbate the problem of discrimination and violence against women and girls, urgently calls on the European Commission to prioritise sexual and reproductive health and rights in the new EU-Africa partnership and to commit to the promotion, protection and fulfilment of the right of every individual to have full control over, and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality and sexual and reproductive health and rights, free from discrimination, coercion and violence;

Amendment 218 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Notes that the consequences of the coronavirus crisis could further restrict access to health care services, including sexual and reproductive health and exacerbate the problem of discrimination and violence against women, girls and sexual minorities;

Amendment 219 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Notes that the consequences of the coronavirus crisis could further restrict access to sexual and reproductive health and exacerbate the problem of discrimination and violence against women as well as restrict access to other health related support for, but not limited to, men; boys; and girls;

Amendment 22 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21

— having regard to the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration adopted on 19 December 2018 and to the decision of non-signatory countries,

Amendment 220 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

Amendment 221 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

15. Notes that the consequences of the coronavirus crisis could further restrict access to sexual and reproductive health services and education, and exacerbate the problem of discrimination and violence against women and girls;

Amendment 222 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15

Amendment 223 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 – indent 1 (new)

- Underlines the health benefits of sustaining routine childhood immunisation and calls to further reinforce immunisation-related programmes; calls for an equitable access to therapeutics and vaccines for COVID- 19 as well as for them to be shared as a public good;

Amendment 224 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Stresses that the COVID-19 crisis has revealed the important need to organize stress tests to assess the resilience of health systems and infrastructure to cope with all types of crises. Believes therefore, that the future EU-Africa partnership should strengthen the effectiveness, accessibility, sustainability and resilience of health systems, including by supporting digital transformation, the uptake of digital tools and services, systemic reforms, implementation of new care models and universal health coverage, and reduce inequalities in health;

Amendment 225 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Calls for mainstreaming of the rights of persons with disabilities in Africa across the Strategy, and across all the financial instruments mobilized; takes the view that this can only be achieved through meaningful engagement of civil society organisations, including organisations of persons with disabilities;

Amendment 226 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Notes that disabled people are still the victims of multiple forms of discrimination, and calls for their systematic involvement in the preparation and implementation of strategies aimed at promoting their inclusion;

Amendment 227 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Calls for more investments in quality, inclusive, primary education and training of teachers to ensure access to quality education for all, regardless of gender, socio-economic status, cultural background or religion;

Amendment 228 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)

15a. Calls for the respect and full implementation of international and regional commitments to end harmful practices, including child marriage and FGM, and sexual and gender based violence;

Amendment 229 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)

15b. Is concerned about the persistent violence and discrimination against LGBTI people and calls for the two continents to step up their efforts to protect their rights;

Amendment 23 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 a (new)

- having regard to the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (Kampala Convention),

Amendment 230 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)

15b. Calls for mainstreaming of the rights of persons with disabilities in Africa across the Strategy, and across all the financial instruments mobilized;

Amendment 231 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the vital role of civil society, and freedom of expression ~~and the press~~ in ensuring that democracies function properly; emphasises the important role of a free and vibrant media and press sector and recalls that it is crucial in order to ensure a well-informed public which can define its own priorities and furthermore increases the resilience against fake news; encourages continued African efforts in the field of media freedom and support for journalists and underlines the important role of a free press when it comes to the fight against corruption and the supervision and accountability of public authorities; Underlines the importance of free and fair elections, in this regard points to the numerous Election Observation Missions (EOM) by the EU, which are strongly supported by the European Parliament;

Amendment 232 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the vital role of civil society, including CSOs, churches, religious associations and communities, groups safeguarding the interests of the disabled, social movements and trade unions, indigenous peoples and foundations, and the representation of vulnerable, discriminated and marginalised people, freedom of expression and the press in ensuring that democracies function properly;

Amendment 233 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the vital role of civil society, freedom of expression and the press in ensuring that democracies function properly; calls on the two continents to guarantee a framework that will enable civil society organisations to participate in the formulation and evaluation of policy at the various decision-making levels;

Amendment 234 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the vital and diverse role of civil society in all its form and levels including local and community based organisations, freedom of expression and the press in ensuring that democracies function properly;

Amendment 235 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the vital role of civil society, including local NGOs, freedom of expression and the press in ensuring that democracies function properly;

Amendment 236 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16

16. Stresses the vital role of ~~civil society, freedom of expression and the~~a free and non-biased press in ensuring that democracies function properly;

Amendment 237 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 a (new)

16a. Considers education for all is as a horizontal and holistic issue that affects every dimension of the SDGs and is essential to accomplish the Agenda 2030;

Amendment 238 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 b (new)

16b. Calls for stronger linkages between education, skills development and employment, as well as transversal and soft skills and notes the necessity of transferring of skills and knowledge suitable for the requirements of the job market;

Amendment 239 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16 c (new)

16c. Notes that churches and faith- based organisations are the agent of development notably in the field of education and health care in Africa and their involvement in the implementation of development actions could contribute to a more effective development cooperation;

Amendment 24 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 a (new)

- having regard to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) of 20 November1989,

Amendment 240 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Points out that health is a prerequisite for human development~~; stresses the need to build a genuine partnership in health matter~~, which implies mobilizing additional public funds to guarantee Universal Health Coverage including SRHR, HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, as well as focusing on global health research and development, stepping up EU-Africa health research and innovation collaboration, and jointly boosting African and European production capacity for health products, equipment, and medicines; stresses the need to build a genuine partnership in health matters; to this end, urges the EU to support African countries, in particular LDCs, in the effective implementation of flexibilities for the protection of public health provided for in TRIPs agreements, such as compulsory licencing and parallel import, in order to remedy abusive use of IP protections that lead to monopolistic positions of patent holders, the consequence of which are high prices of medicines;

Amendment 241 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. ~~Points out~~recalls that health is a ~~prerequisite~~necessary condition for human development; ~~stresses the need to build a genuine partnership in health matters;~~ the right to health is a fundamental part of our human rights; stresses the need to build a real partnership for health, which integrates nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, contributes to the strengthening of health systems and supports the achievement of the universal health coverage; Stresses the need for the EU to support African countries to invest in public services such as public and free health and education systems, and in access to social protection;

Amendment 242 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Points out that health is a prerequisite for human development; stresses the need to build a genuine partnership in health matters aimed at guaranteeing universal cover, strengthening health systems by enhancing the role of communities and overcoming the phenomenon of counterfeit medicines; considers, further, that this partnership should encourage networking between African and European scientific communities, and exchanges of expertise and experience;

Amendment 243 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

~~17.~~ Points out that health is a ~~17.~~ prerequisite for human development; stresses the need to build a genuine partnership in health matters by strengthening the public delivery of health services and fostering universal access to adequate healthcare, including SRHR, HIV, tuberculosis and malaria, as well as focusing on global health research and development and stepping up EU-Africa health research and innovation collaboration;

Amendment 244 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Points out that health is a prerequisite for human development; stresses the need to build a genuine partnership in health matters by strengthening the public delivery of health services and fostering universal access to adequate healthcare;

Amendment 245 #

Motion for a resolution
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 "One Health" approach should be mainstreamed in the future partnership; stresses the need to build a genuine partnership in health matters by strengthening the public delivery of health services and fostering universal access to adequate and affordable healthcare, with a special focus on breaking down the barriers faced by LGTBI+ people;

Amendment 246 #

Motion for a resolution
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 247 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Points out that health is a prerequisite for human development; stresses the need to build a genuine partnership in health matters, which integrates nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, contributes to the strengthening of health systems;

Amendment 248 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Points out that health is a prerequisite for human development; stresses the need to build a genuine partnership in health matters focusing on building up countries’ capacities to deliver vital health services to their citizens;

Amendment 249 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Points out that health is a prerequisite for human development; stresses the need to build a genuine partnership in health matters; emphasises the importance of a safe environment to safeguard human health;

Amendment 25 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 23 a (new)

- having regard to the Annual Report 2019 to the European Council on EU Development Aid Targets,

Amendment 250 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17

17. Points out that good health is a ~~prerequisite~~bonus for human development; stresses the ~~need to build a genuine partnership in health matter~~advantages to support pan African health initiatives and African exchange programmes;

Amendment 251 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Acknowledges, in the area of health promotion, the important role of intellectual property laws in encouraging pharmaceutical R&D; is nonetheless of the opinion that the current global patent system provides insufficient balance between protecting the interests of the pharmaceutical companies and protecting those of consumers and scientists; gives, as an example, the legal cover for biopiracy and the fact that pharmaceutical companies allocate 10% of R&D to diseases that cause 90% of deaths each year; notes that this is in response to a profit incentive on the part of these companies; takes the view that the creation of a Global Patent Recovery Fund would enable patent-free generic drugs to be produced and would encourage R&D in drugs that have been publicised as subject to public recovery;

Amendment 252 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Believes that the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector, including access to clean and safe drinking water, should be a essential element of EU- Africa cooperation, with a particular focus on women and girls; recalls the linkages between WASH, health, nutrition and poverty; insists therefore on the need to step up efforts in the field of water management and governance, infrastructure building, as well as hygiene promotion and education, primarily targeting the most vulnerable communities;

Amendment 253 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Calls for an improvement in the ability to respond to the current and future health crises, guaranteeing a patent free and universal access to vaccines and treatment against the pandemics. Calls the EU to assist the African countries in building local medicine manufacturing capability and public ownership of pharmaceutical production

Amendment 254 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Is alarmed that recent analysis show that 64 countries spend more money on debt service payments than on health services; in this context, stresses the need for donors to prioritise grant-based financing as the default option, especially to LDCs, and not favour loans over grants;

Amendment 255 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Underlines the special need to improve access to healthcare for women, specially with regards to maternal healthcare, sexual and reproductive health and special care in the context of harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation;

Amendment 256 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 a (new)

17a. Emphasises that the coronavirus crisis has highlighted the need to ensure access to vaccines and treatment, and calls on the two continents to cooperate closely to ensure that all benefit in this regard;

Amendment 257 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)

17b. Underlines that development aid should primary be dedicated to deliver - “horizontal” - universal health care system coverage through a holistic and rights-based approach, which entails i.a. to fully address the multidimensional nature of health (with close links to gender, food security and nutrition, water and sanitation, education and poverty);

Amendment 258 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17 b (new)

17b. Emphasises that access to water, sanitation and hygiene services is an essential prerequisite to any action aimed at improving public health and combating the transmission of disease; calls for targeted improvements in accessing these services, particularly for the most vulnerable populations or those suffering discrimination;

Amendment 259 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Is concerned atby the fact that more and more interconnected crises of every kind are arising, and draws attention to the importance of strengthening people’s resilience and combined strategy for future responses to global pandemic; calls for more detailed consideration to be given to social protection models and the formalisation of the ~~economy~~informal economy; encourages support for access to education, training and employment in situations of fragility, crisis and prolonged crises, as key factors for stability and to ensure livelihoods; calls on states to invest heavily in infrastructure to allow the greatest number of children to be able to integrate into the school system, to ensure an educated population, ready to become citizens who can take control of their futures;

Amendment 26 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 a (new)

- having regard to the 2013 European Commission Communication on Empowering Local Authorities in partner countries for enhanced governance and more effective development outcomes,

Amendment 260 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Is concerned atby the fact that more and more interconnected crises of every kind are arising, and ~~draws attention to the importance of strengthening people’s resilience~~are expected to worsen with climate change and biodiversity loss; draws therefore attention to the importance of strengthening people’s and ecosystem's resilience as well as cross-sectoral crisis prevention, preparedness, surveillance, management and response capacities in the future strategy; calls for more detailed consideration to be given to social protection models and the formalisation of the economy;

Amendment 261 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Is concerned at the fact that more and more interconnected crises of every kind are arising, stresses that climate change and biodiversity loss play a part in this, and draws attention to the importance of strengthening people’s resilience; calls for more detailed consideration to be given to risk management models, particularly those concerning the environment, social protection ~~models~~ and the formalisation of the economy;

Amendment 262 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. ~~Is concerned at the fact that more and more~~Observes, that as always was the case in human history crises of every kind, including interconnected crises ~~of every kind~~, are arising, and draws attention to the importance of strengthening ~~people’s~~national resilience; calls for more detailed consideration and studies to be given to s~~oci~~uccessful national protection models and the formalisation of the economy in Africa, if viewed as beneficial by the different African nations;

Amendment 263 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Is concerned at the fact that more and more interconnected crises ~~of every kind are arising~~are arising, be they health, food, environmental or security crises, and draws attention to the importance of strengthening people’s resilience; calls for more detailed consideration to be given to social protection models, universal income and the formalisation of the economy;

Amendment 264 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Is concerned atby the fact that more and more interconnected crises of every kind are arising, and draws attention to the importance of comprehensively strengthening people’s resilience; calls for more ~~detailed consideration to be given to~~priority to be given to the establishment and reinforcement of national social protection ~~models and~~floors, the formalisation of the economy and the ILO Decent Work Agenda;

Amendment 265 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18

18. Is concerned at the fact that more and more interconnected crises of every kind are arising, and draws attention to the importance of strengthening people’s resilience; ~~calls for more detailed consideration to be given to~~stresses the importance of supporting decent work, social dialogue, universal social protection ~~models~~ and the formalisation of the economy;

Amendment 266 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital 18 a (new)

18a. Calls for urgent attention to be given to the difficult and marginalised conditions of children, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and in a number of other areas of conflict or extreme poverty, who all too often are denied their fundamental rights, such as access to education and basic heath care and, more generally, the right to a childhood; calls, therefore, for the Convention on the Rights of the Child to be fully implemented;

Amendment 267 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

18a. Considers a crucial element for the sustainable development of the African countries and a fair partnership with the EU to guarantee public control over common goods and natural resources, which guarantees the possibility for countries to have domestic economic resources to invest in human development;

Amendment 268 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18 a (new)

18a. Stresses the importance to put the best interest of the child as a primary consideration and to promote the right to peaceful childhood and to well-being for all children;

Amendment 269 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that education is a fundamental right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment; recalls the importance of inclusive, free and high quality education to end the gender and geographical gaps on the African continent; calls for supportive measures from the EU and Members States to help African countries and regional organisations to fill these gaps in order to achieve access to quality education for all, regardless of gender, socio-economic status, cultural background and religion, with a particular focus on marginalised communities and children with disabilities, emphasizes the need for stronger linkages between education, skills development and employment to allow full participation of youth in the labour market, stresses the need for a more digitalised education-system to ensure equal chances for children from rural and urban areas, calls for greater North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges;

Amendment 27 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 b (new)

- having regard to its previous resolutions, in particular those of 6 October 2015 on the role of local authorities in developing countries in development cooperation,

Amendment 270 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that inclusive and accessible education is a right and a prerequisite in particular for child protection and girls’ empowerment, including in emergency situations; stresses that it is necessary to address barriers that girls face in their access to quality, safe and inclusive education and training at all levels and in all contexts; stresses that Comprehensive Sexuality Educations (CSE) in particular is crucial to improve gender equality, transform harmful gender norms, and prevent sexual, gender-based and intimate partner violence as well as untimely pregnancy and HIV infection; calls for greater North- South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges;

Amendment 271 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that education is a right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment; calls for action to combat early school leaving, especially in rural areas, in particular by providing adequate school canteens and hygiene services; calls for the promotion of vocational training; calls for greater North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges, together with the networking of African and European universities;

Amendment 272 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that education is a right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment; ~~calls for greater North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchange~~stresses the importance of SDG 4.1, whose aim is a full, quality12-year primary and secondary education cycle, provided free of charge for all; believes that education should be a key pillar of the Africa-EU partnership and a priority of development aid, particularly in LDCs; calls for greater implementation of North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges; stresses that ICT tools should in no circumstances substitute for real teachers and schools;

Amendment 273 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that education is a right ~~and~~, a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment~~; calls for greater~~, and essential to the achievement of the SDGs; calls on the new partnership to prioritise access to quality education for all, teacher training and the strengthening of educational structures, notably in fragile and conflict- affected countries; calls for greater South - North and North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges;

Amendment 274 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that inclusive and accessible education is a right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment; calls for greater North- South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges; highlights that ‘inclusive’ education means that the right of all children (including children with disabilities) to equal access to education is fully respected;

Amendment 275 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that inclusive and accessible education is a right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment; calls for greater North- South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges; highlights that 'inclusive' education means that the right of all children (including children with disabilities) to equal access to education is fully respected;

Amendment 276 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that inclusive and accessible education is a right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment; calls for greater North- South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges highlights that ‘inclusive’ education means that the right of all children (including children with disabilities) to equal access to education is fully respected;

Amendment 277 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that education is a right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment and that this partnership should aim at strengthening the public delivery of education services and universal access to quality education at all levels; calls for greater North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges;

Amendment 278 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that education is a right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment and that this partnership should aim at strengthening the public delivery of education services and universal access to quality education; calls for greater North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges;

Amendment 279 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that education is a right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment, and for the development of people with disabilities; calls for greater North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges; , as well as social inclusion programmes such as Bridging the Gap;

Amendment 28 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 c (new)

- having regard to the UN Decade for People of African Descent, especially to the pillar “Recognition”,

Amendment 280 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that education is a right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment; calls for greater North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges; stresses the need to promote and reinforce public and free education systems;

Amendment 281 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that inclusive and accessible education is a right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment; calls for accelerate the knowledge exchange and for greater North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training, scholarship and academic exchange programmes;

Amendment 282 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that education is a right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment, and for the effective participation of people with disabilities in society; calls for greater North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges;

Amendment 283 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. ~~Emphasises~~Suggests, that education is a ~~right and a prerequisite for child protection and girls’ empowerment; calls for greater North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchange~~good base for children’s empowerment and development into valuable members of their society; proposes greater vocational training and academic exchanges within Africa to promote stability, understanding and reconciliation among African nations;

Amendment 284 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19

19. Emphasises that education is, training, knowledge and skills are a right and a prerequisites for child protection and girls’ empowerment; calls for greater North-South mobility in the areas of vocational training and academic exchanges;

Amendment 285 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Reminds the importance of education to shape citizens in their political role in the society and to develop sustainable economic growth and job creation; stresses the importance of a well-educated young generation as a prerequisite to participate fully in the development to their own countries; considers that formal education as well as vocational and non-formal education should become a priority in the European development support to African countries;

Amendment 286 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Is concerned by the high number of children in Africa suffering from malnutrition and recalls the importance of a good nutrition to help them develop fully and thrive, and deliver greater economic prosperity; Recalls that hunger is on the rise in almost all sub-regions of Africa and that Africa is significantly off track to achieve the Zero Hunger target (SDG 2) in 2030;

Amendment 287 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Stresses that it is necessary to better match education and training to access to decent jobs notably by mainstreaming digital and green skills in curricula; underlines that quality Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) plays a key role for youth employment;

Amendment 288 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Calls for increasing international educational exchanges between young people in Africa and the EU via e.g. Erasmus and Erasmus for Young Entrepreneurs aimed at helping new entrepreneurs to acquire relevant skills for managing business;

Amendment 289 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Stresses the importance of taking into account the special needs and the rights of the people in vulnerable situations and with vulnerable backgrounds, including unaccompanied minors, people with disabilities, women and children;

Amendment 29 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 25 d (new)

- having regard to the European Parliament resolution of 19 June 2020 on the anti-racism protests following the death of George Floyd (2020/2685(RSP)),

Amendment 290 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19 a (new)

19a. Invites support for private sector dialogue to encourage an alignment of training with labour market needs;

Amendment 291 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Emphasises the importance of promoting African heritage, cultural identity, history and art; calls for cultural goods to be returned to African countries; Reminds the large language diversity on the African continent; calls upon the European Union and Member States to preserve it in their future relations; Reiterates the necessity to work in close cooperation with the UNESCO to ensure the preservation of cultural and language diversity and to find common cooperation;

Amendment 292 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Emphasises the importance of promoting African heritage, cultural identity, history and art; ~~calls for cultural goods to be returned to African countries~~Stresses the need for Europe to push for the return of looted cultural goods to African countries; underlines the indispensability of a critical discourse about the colonial heritage of Europe and the development of conditions for permanent restitution of African patrimony to Africa;

Amendment 293 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Emphasises the importance of promoting African heritage, cultural identity, history and art; calls for cultural goods to be returned to African countries; calls for the EU and Africa to establish a “memorial culture” which allows both continents to identify remnants of the colonial rule in current relations and negotiate appropriate measures to counteract those;

Amendment 294 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20

20. Emphasises the importance of promoting ~~African~~ heritage, cultural identity, history ~~and art; calls for cultural goods to be returned to African countr~~, literature, drama and art in the different European and African nations in order to celebrate differences and recognize respective strengths, achievements and legacies;

Amendment 295 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Reminds the importance of cultural dialogue between Europe and Africa; reminds the role culture plays for diplomacy as determined in the INI report adopted by the European Parliament on Towards an EU strategy for international cultural relations (2016/2240(INI)) in 2017; recalls that cultural cooperation within the EU and with its partner countries, and at promoting a global order based on peacekeeping, on fighting extremism and radicalisation through intercultural and interreligious dialogue and on conflict prevention, with respect for democracy, the rule of law, freedom of expression, artistic freedom, mutual understanding, human rights, cultural and linguistic diversity and fundamental values; stresses, furthermore, the important role of cultural diplomacy, education and cultural exchange in strengthening a common core of universal values;

Amendment 296 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Declares that stable and sustainable economic growth is a mechanism for job creation that enables people to escape situations of poverty; notes that such job creation needs to meet the minimum social standards developed by the ILO since 1919; recalls the existence of that organisation’s ‘Decent Work’ programme, which aims to extend and improve those workers’ rights that ensure that work is a source of well-being, security and personal development; stresses that only Decent Work can ensure that global economic growth is beneficial to all and focused on human life and dignity; notes that the new EU-Africa partnership needs to be fully committed to implementing that programme;

Amendment 297 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Emphasizes the importance on investing in concrete EU initiatives aimed to strengthen African national civil registration systems and ensure those services are accessible and confidential and to support African Governments in investing in safe and innovative technological solutions to facilitate birth registration in line with the target 16.9of the SDGs;

Amendment 298 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Highlights that culture is increasingly a driver for economic growth; considers that cultural relations and intercultural dialogue can contribute to building trust and foster a shared sense of belonging in a partnership; calls for the promotion of cultural relations as an effective tool in conflict prevention and reconciliation;

Amendment 299 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Points out that cooperation between the European Union and Africa must encourage peace and security processes; emphasises the importance of combating terrorism, particularly through greater assistance to African countries;

Amendment 3 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 b (new)

- having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD),

Amendment 30 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the forthcoming AU-EU Summit should give a new impetus to the ~~partnership and result in a common strategy accompanied by specific action on our shared~~discussions about possible cooperation in regard to our different challenges;

Amendment 300 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)

20a. Calls on the Commission to reflect the new priorities of African countries, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak;

Amendment 301 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)

20b. Points out that the maritime sector, particularly transport, is an important factor of development, and that 80% of goods travel by sea; stresses that piracy is a phenomenon affecting Africa and one that threatens international maritime safety and security; urges stronger action to tackle this form of organised crime;

Amendment 302 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 b (new)

20b. Expresses its deep concern that hunger is on the rise in almost all sub- regions of Africa and that Africa is significantly off track to achieve the Zero Hunger target (SDG 2) in 2030;

Amendment 303 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 c (new)

20c. Highlights Africa’s huge fiscal constraints to cope with the socio- economic consequences of the pandemic (high debt-to-GDP levels; high fiscal deficits; high costs of borrowing and depreciation of many African currencies); against this background, urges the EU and its Member States to develop, as a first step, and in addition to its pledges on debt moratorium, a new debt relief initiative regarding the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries; more broadly, calls for the creation of a multilateral debt workout mechanism to address both the impact of the crisis and the financing requirements of the Agenda 2030;

Amendment 304 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 d (new)

20d. Stresses the need to link debt relief measures with additional mobilisation of ODA; believes equally that debt relief efforts should be complemented by increased resources from the multilateral lending agencies, including through raising IMF Special Drawing Rights to provide liquidity to African countries over the next two years;

Amendment 305 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Notes that the European Fund for Sustainable Development should finance investment that promotes inclusive and sustainable economic and social development; calls on the EU to continue to make full use of the potential of the External Investment Plan to leverage private and public investment in support of Africa’s economic transformation and diversification; and that EU-Africa trade and economic cooperation should reinforce intra-Africa value chains and give priority to trade and regional integration on the African continent;

Amendment 306 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Notes that the European Fund for Sustainable Development should finance investment that promotes inclusive and sustainable economic and social development, in this regard, emphasizes that private sector investments should serve the local market and population and target those with little access to financing, guaranteeing finance inclusiveness of marginalised groups, for example, via direct investments to local micro, small and medium size enterprises and social economy business models, and notably family enterprises;

Amendment 307 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Notes that the European Fund for Sustainable Development should finance investment that promotes inclusive and sustainable economic and social development; in this regard, emphasizes that private sector investments should serve the local market and population for example, via direct investments to local micro, small and medium size enterprises and social economy business models; calls for strong monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure compliance with these objectives;

Amendment 308 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Notes that the European Fund for Sustainable Development should finance investment that promotes inclusive and sustainable economic and social development; Recalls that according to recent studies, there is very weak evidence of the benefits of blending finance and of the EFSD in supporting development, especially in less developed countries. Regrets the absence of transparency and an assessment by the Commission on the impact of this instrument.

Amendment 309 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Notes that the ~~European Fund for Sustainabl~~Commission still foresees a prominent role for blending mechanisms in its future Ddevelopment ~~should finance investment that promotes inclusive and sustainable economic and social~~policy towards African countries; reiterates the recent assessment report on EFSD, illustrating a lack of evidence of the development potential, additionality and country ownership of blending mechanisms; calls on the Commission to reconsider its position towards the role blending mechanisms as a tool in development policy;

Amendment 31 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the forthcoming AU-EU Summit should give a new impetus to the partnership and result in a common strategy accompanied by specific action on our shared challenges, in line with the international commitments made under the Agenda2030 and the Paris Agreement;

Amendment 310 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Notes that the European Fund for Sustainable Development should finance investment that promotes inclusive and sustainable economic and social development; in order to continue to deliver on growth and jobs focusing on proper enforcement and deepening of existing Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with aim to boost trade exchanges and investment and ultimately create global continent to continent trade agreement;

Amendment 311 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Notes that the European Fund for Sustainable Development should finance investment that promotes inclusive and sustainable economic and social development; in this regard, emphasizes that private sector investments should serve the local market and population and target those with little access to financing, guaranteeing finance inclusiveness of marginalised groups and social economy business models;

Amendment 312 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21

21. Notes that the European Fund for Sustainable Development should finance investment that promotes inclusive and sustainable economic and social development, on the basis of accessibility and universal design for all;

Amendment 313 #

Motion for a resolution
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 314 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 – indent 1 (new)

- Underlines that Africa needs an industrial and infrastructure transformation that will only be possible through large investments in which public-private modalities represent a viable and beneficial option to foster development and unleash Africa’s economic and social potential; calls on the EU to mobilize private funds for investment in infrastructure; in this context, calls for strong monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure a proper evaluation of full compliance with due diligence legislation.

Amendment 315 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 – indent 2 (new)

- Emphasizes that, additionally, private sector investments should contribute to the local market and population and target those with little access to financing, guaranteeing finance inclusiveness of marginalised groups, for example, via direct investments to local micro, small and medium size enterprises and social economy business models; calls for a strong monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure transparency and accountability;

Amendment 316 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. Stresses that while Africa remains the region with the lowest tax-to-GDP ratio, several Africa countries (oil exporters and non-oil exporters alike), in recent years have adopted policies such as tax holidays that were aimed at attracting foreign direct investments; urges the EU to ensure that its trade, double taxation and investment agreements respond to the resource mobilisation needs of African countries and translate into tangible and sustainable development outcomes, in line with the principle of Policy Coherence for Development, as enshrined in Article 208 of the Lisbon Treaty; in particular, urges the EU to make the fight against illicit financial flows, and more broadly, a partnership on fiscal capacity, a key priority of its Strategy with Africa;

Amendment 317 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. Recalls that free and fair trade is key in supporting sustainable development and poverty alleviation; supports the deepening of EU-Africa trade relations, including Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs), while making the most of the EU’s Aid for Trade strategy;

Amendment 318 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)

21a. Considers it fundamental to guarantee decent working conditions and to strengthen social rights, to improve social and labour dialogues, to eradicate child labour and forced labour and to improve health and safety conditions in the workplaces;

Amendment 319 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 b (new)

21b. Recalls that one of the main challenges for developing countries is to climb up the global value chain through economic diversification; calls for the EU to refrain from adopting a trade policy that as a general rule prohibits African countries from levying export taxes on raw materials, insofar as it is WTO- compatible;

Amendment 32 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A

A. whereas the forthcoming AU-EU Summit should give a new impetus to the partnership and result in a common strategy accompanied by specific action on our shared challenges and opportunities ahead;

Amendment 320 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Emphasises that the AfCFTA should make for integration that benefits all African populations, including the most marginalised; Strongly welcomes the entry into force of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and underlines the enormous economic and political potential it has for the future of African and global trade; expresses concern in this regard about the delay of the originally foreseen 1 July 2020 implementation date of the AfCFTA due to the COVID-19 crisis, encourages the European Commission and Member States to extend their maximum assistance by sharing best practices of experience in order to contribute to a successful implementation of the AfCFTA as soon as the health situation permits; also points to the need to significantly invest in the transport infrastructure to facilitate intra- African trade; supports the long-term goal of establishing a comprehensive intercontinental EU-African trade agreement;

Amendment 321 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Emphasises that the AfCFTA should make for integration that benefits all African populations, including the most marginalised and that EU-Africa trade and economic cooperation should reinforce intra-Africa value chains and give priority to trade and regional integration on the African continent; takes the view that EU support to African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) should go along the development of regulative frameworks, to prevent a “race to bottom” of social and environmental norms;

Amendment 322 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Emphasises that the AfCFTA should make for integration that benefits all African populations, including the most marginalised; calls on the European Union to step up its support, especially technical support, as well as the consistency of its support between the continental, regional and national levels of implementation of African integration strategies;

Amendment 323 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Emphasises that the AfCFTA should make for integration that benefits all African populations, including the most marginalised; Recalls on the EU to cooperate and to share best practices with the AU in order to support its integration process and to advance on the developing of capacities and regulatory frameworks;

Amendment 324 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Emphasises that the AfCFTA should make for integration that benefits all African populations, including the most marginalised; recalls that there are developmental differences between African countries which must be taken into account in order not to increase inequalities;

Amendment 325 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Emphasises that the AfCFTA should make for integration that benefits all African populations, including the most marginali~~sed~~zed and that EU-Africa trade and economic cooperation should reinforce intra-Africa value chains and give priority to trade and regional integration on the African continent;

Amendment 326 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. EWelcomes the launch of the AfCFTA as an instrument to foster intra- African trade and regional integration, and improve Africa’s access to global markets; emphasises that the AfCFTA should make for integration that benefits all African populations, including the most marginalised;

Amendment 327 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22

22. Emphasises that the AfCFTA should ~~allow~~make for integration that benefits all African populations, including the ~~most marginalised~~least advantaged, among them people with disabilities;

Amendment 328 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. Reiterates the need of an in-depth analysis on the negative impact of EPAs and trade liberalization agreements in African countries on local economies, on biodiversity loss, deforestation and land grabbing, loss of customs revenues and increase in the balance of payments deficit. Calls to review these agreements to be coherent with development policies ad SDGs;

Amendment 329 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)

22a. Stresses that there is a need in Africa to establish intra-continental value chains allowing for the domestic processing of raw materials; notes the continued existence of significant barriers to such trade due to prevalence of tariffs and other barriers, as well as poor infrastructure and high transaction costs;

Amendment 33 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas it is critical for countries to invest more in systematically collecting accurate and comparable disaggregated data, in order to know where and what the intersectionalities are, to determine how to address them, and to analyse whether the results of actions taken under this Strategy are having a positive impact on all, including those furthest behind; whereas in line with SDG target 17.18,data should be disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, disability and geographic location;

Amendment 330 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 b (new)

22b. Highlights that while a number of countries in Africa continue to struggle with corruption, lack of good governance as well as social and political freedoms, many countries have started the transition towards reforms and democracy; recalls that transition countries are particularly vulnerable and should be able to count on the EU when they ask for support; calls thus for well-coordinated support and assistance to those countries in order to maintain and support the aspirations for positive change as expressed by their peoples;

Amendment 331 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Points out that private investment ~~is essential~~could be a partner for financing efforts to achieve the SDGs and for the development of the local private sector ~~and must be compatible with human rights and~~. Reiterates that ODA should be public and not be used to support private business. Reaffirms that any private intervention and investment must respect human and social rights and environmental and labour international conventions; Expresses its concern about the gre~~en transition~~al effectiveness of a development policy increasingly aimed at supporting private investors;

Amendment 332 #

Motion for a resolution
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, decent work standards and the green transition; recalls that considerable progress still needs to be made to avoid corporate abuse and, therefore, stresses that ensuring the respect for the principles of corporate social responsibility, human rights and environmental due diligence should be clearly established as a high priority in EU-Africa partnership;

Amendment 333 #

Motion for a resolution
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~~, that it must be compatible with human rights and the green transition, and that it should, as a priority, meet the funding needs of VSEs and SMEs; considers, further, that support for the local private sector will be decisive in the post-Covid recovery;

Amendment 334 #

Motion for a resolution
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; welcomes the G20 “Compact with Africa” (CwA) initiative, launched in 2017 in order to promote private investment in Africa, including in infrastructure and sees it as a good platform to advance comprehensive, coordinated, and country- specific reform agendas;

Amendment 335 #

Motion for a resolution
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; recalls that considerable progress still needs to be made to avoid corporate abuse and, therefore, stresses that ensuring the respect for the principles of corporate social responsibility and human rights, and environmental due diligence should be prioritised;

Amendment 336 #

Motion for a resolution
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; believes that investors’ and host States’ rights and obligations should be rebalanced to ensure that FDI translates into wider socioeconomic benefits for the society; and recalls the right of host countries to regulate their economies in the public interest;

Amendment 337 #

Motion for a resolution
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 338 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Points out that private investment isand public-private partnerships are 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~~, social responsibility, international social and environmental standards, as well as international climate objectives;

Amendment 339 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23

23. Points out that private investment is essential for ~~financing efforts to~~ achieveing the SDGs and for the development of the local private sector and must be compatible with human rights and the green transition;

Amendment 34 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas peace and security are essential preconditions to achieve long- term sustainable development, fostering stabilisation and strong institutions at local, regional and country level, and is necessary for the improvement of living conditions and delivering SDGs;

Amendment 340 #

Motion for a resolution
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 that European investments must be compatible with human rights ~~and the green transition~~;

Amendment 341 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Declares that economic growth in developing countries and on the African continent as a whole is heavily dependent upon the rules governing the global economy and, in particular, the rules governing international trade and the international financial system; notes that these rules create structural barriers that often make it impossible to overcome the poverty trap in Africa; states that the EU- Africa partnership needs to have the courage to initiate a debate on the effect of these rules; will ensure that the commercial and financial policies established within the partnership are consistent with those pursued by the EU as a whole;

Amendment 342 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Reiterates its call for an EU legal framework based on corporate mandatory due diligence on human rights violations in supply chains and provide access to justice for victims; believes that such obligations should be cross-sectorial and apply in particular to the financial sector. Invites the Commission to continue and reinforce its engagement in the negotiations for the establishment of a UN Binding Treaty on Transnational Corporations and OBE with respect to Human Rights;

Amendment 343 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Stresses that an African-EU partnership on the private sector should include strong provisions on responsible finance, as well as rules and mechanisms to regulate the activities of corporations, which ensures access to justice for victims of human rights violations and provide mechanisms for redress and accountability for the communities affected;

Amendment 344 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 a (new)

23a. Notes that SMEs and family businesses play an important role for the development of the local economies and bring an added value to the states development through job creation and tax revenues;

Amendment 345 #

Motion for a resolution
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 346 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)

23b. Encourages African countries, at a time when UNICA reports that many of the investments treaties concluded by in the 1990s-early 2000s have recently expired or are about to expire, to review and reform its investment and double taxation treaties according to their development needs, being in a position to mobilise domestic resources through taxes and curbing illicit financial flows; to this effect, believes that the African Continental Free Trade Area and the ongoing regional integration efforts provide a good opportunity to rebalance the international investment regime so that it becomes responsible, equitable and conductive to sustainable development;

Amendment 347 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23 b (new)

23b. Warns of the detrimental role that deregulated financial markets can play in building a scenario of sustainable and stable economic growth in Africa; considers there is a need to regulate these markets in a way that encourages productive and long-term investment, to the detriment of purely speculative investment; suggests that proposals to this end be considered, including capital controls, a tax on speculative financial transactions, the regulation of investment banking and comprehensive regulation of the derivatives market;

Amendment 348 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Recalls that small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are a key engine of job creation and represent 95% of businesses in Africa; believes that the strategy should prioritise entrepreneurship and access to finance while creating a reliable business environment; Considers that this partnership should ~~support female~~promote female and youth entrepreneurship in rural and urban areas;

Amendment 349 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Considers that this partnership should support female entrepreneurship in rural and urban areas; calls for the development of links and contacts between African and European female entrepreneurs by means of platforms that enable networking, exchanges of experience and the production of common projects;

Amendment 35 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)

Aa. whereas it is critical for countries to invest more in systematically collecting accurate and comparable disaggregated data, in order to know where and what the intersectionalities are, to determine how to address them, and to analyse whether the results of actions taken under this Strategy are having a positive impact on all, including those furthest behind; whereas in line with SDG target 17.18, data should be disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability and geographic location;

Amendment 350 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Considers that this partnership should support female entrepreneurship in rural and urban areas, that to do so it is essential to support young women’s equal access to economic and productive resources such as financial services and land rights;

Amendment 351 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Considers that this partnership should support female entrepreneurship in rural and urban areas, particularly through the development of micro-credits;

Amendment 352 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Considers that this partnership should support female entrepreneurship and that of people with disabilities in rural and urban areas;

Amendment 353 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Considers that this ~~partnership sh~~cooperation could support ~~female~~ entrepreneurship in rural and urban areas in a culturally sensitive manner;

Amendment 354 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24

24. Considers that this partnership should support female and youth entrepreneurship in rural and urban areas;

Amendment 355 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24a. States that the foreign debt that many developing countries have been carrying for decades is an inescapable burden on the path to stable and sustainable economic growth; emphasises that much of this debt is so-called ‘odious debt’; declares that, in addition to being an essential vector in triggering economic development in these countries, the total and definitive cancellation of ‘odious debt’ in the countries affected would also be one of the best contributions the EU could make towards achieving its goal of extending human rights and democracy throughout the world; states that unconditional ‘odious debt’ cancellation needs to be a fundamental pillar of the new partnership’s action;

Amendment 356 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24a. Recalls that illicit financial flows (IFFs) represent twice the amount of ODA received by Africa, for a total of approximately $50 billion annually, with a dramatic impact on the continent’s development and governance; calls on the EU to further support African partners in improving governance, fighting corruption, increasing the transparency of their financial and tax systems, and setting up adequate regulatory and monitoring mechanisms;

Amendment 357 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24a. Highlights the importance of supporting African countries capacity to increase domestic resource mobilisation, in order to increase investments in universal public basic services. Calls the EU to support African countries on combatting illicit financial flows, EU companies and multinationals tax evasion, to ensure taxes are paid where profits and real economic value is created, in order to stop base erosion and profit- shifting;

Amendment 358 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24a. Stresses the need for measures to curb corruption, illicit financial flows and tax evasion, as well as commitment towards progressive taxation policies with the aim of increasing domestic resources and putting in place redistributive policies;

Amendment 359 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)

24a. Calls for more resources to be made available for development cooperation in the European budget, financed by new own resources, including a financial transaction tax;

Amendment 36 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas Africa’s interests and priorities, as expressed in particular in the context of Agenda 2063, must ~~play a central~~ be weighed against the interests of Eurolpe in ~~reshaping our rel~~order to find mutual points of possible cooperation~~ship~~;

Amendment 360 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)

24b. Calls the EU and its Members States to prioritize aid to be in the form of grants and to avoid loans that could increase the burden of debt. Recall that African economies are spending up to five times their health budgets on debt repayments. Take notes of the announcement from the G20 on a temporary moratorium on debt repayments for the weakest developing countries as a first step in the right direction. Urges the Commission, G20 and EU member states, international financial institutions and donors to take more decisive and urgent actions on debt relief , in view of a full debt cancellation;

Amendment 361 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 b (new)

24b. Stresses that digital literacy and skills development are key in addressing youth unemployment; calls on EU and African countries to foster investment in vocational training and lifelong learning, in cooperation with the private sector, to harness Africa’s human capital, create decent jobs and build a more qualified workforce;

Amendment 362 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

~~25. Stresses the need to put environmental issues at the heart of the partnership; notes that it has asked for 45% of the budget for the future NDICI to be devoted to these objectives;~~deleted

Amendment 363 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Stresses the need to put environmental issues at the heart of the partnership; notes that it has asked for 45% of the budget for the future NDICI to be devoted to these objectives and to support adaptation and climate change resilience for disadvantaged communities and countries; highlights that the EU should offer concrete, predictable, accountable and long-term financial and technical support to African countries to meet their climate adaptation and mitigation efforts;

Amendment 364 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Stresses the need to put climate and environmental issues at the heart of the partnership; notes that it has asked for 45% of the budget for the future NDICI to be devoted to these objectives; highlights that the EU should offer concrete, predictable, accountable and long-term financial and technical support to African countries to equally reinforce their climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, with a special focus on disaster risk prevention;

Amendment 365 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Stresses the need to put environmental issues at the heart of the partnership; notes that it has asked for 45% of the budget for the future NDICI to be devoted to these objectives; highlights that the EU should offer concrete, predictable, accountable and long-term financial and technical support to African countries to meet their climate adaptation and mitigation efforts;

Amendment 366 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Stresses th~~e need to put environmental issues at the heart of the partnership~~at the 2030 Agenda - respecting the key principle of Leaving No One Behind - the Paris Agreement and the Convention on Biodiversity should be the guiding frameworks for the relations between the European Union and Africa; notes that it has asked for 45% of the budget for the future NDICI to be devoted to ~~these~~climate and environmental protection objectives;

Amendment 367 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Stresses the need to put ~~environmental issues at the heart of the partnership; notes that it has asked for 45% of the budget for the future NDICI to be devoted to these objectives~~sustainable and viable environmental issues inside the cooperation agenda;

Amendment 368 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Stresses the need to put climate and environmental issues at the heart of the partnership; notes that it has asked for 45% of the budget for the future NDICI to be devoted to these objectives;

Amendment 369 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25

25. Stresses the need to put environmental issues at the heart of the partnership; notes that ~~it has asked for 45% of the budget for the future NDICI to be devoted to these objectives~~30% of all EU measures, including the NDICI, should be climate-relevant in the future;

Amendment 37 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B

B. whereas Africa’s interests and priorities, as expressed in particular in the context of Agenda 2063, must play a central role in reshaping our relationship; recalls that it is up to the Africans to decide upon their international cooperation and on their own priorities; calls on the EU to seek coordination with each country truly interested in a prosperous and positive long-term development of the African continent, based on good governance, respect for civil and human rights and the combat against corruption; calls on the EU to develop a strategic and long-term response to the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which should be guided by our shared values as well as the priorities and needs articulated by our African neighbours, and generally calls on the EU also to consider triangular cooperations;

Amendment 370 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 – indent 1 (new)

- Expresses concern on how climate change could reverse human development through reduced agricultural productivity, increased food and water insecurity, increased exposure to extreme natural disasters, collapsed ecosystems and increased health risks; insists therefore that the future strategy should look into ways to assess, together with the private sector and other development actors, new disaster risk finance and insurance solutions against catastrophic events and climate change impacts;

Amendment 371 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)

25a. Recalls that African countries and their populations are particularly affected by the negative impacts of climate change, such as natural disasters and extreme changes in weather, particularly cyclones, storms, floods, droughts, erosion, rising water levels, heat waves and fires; emphasises that it is therefore essential to strengthen preservation, adaptation and mitigation policies within the partnership, and to step up technical and financial assistance along with the exchange of good practices with African countries;

Amendment 372 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)

25a. Recalls that the consequences of climate change, including droughts, floods, plummeting biodiversity and the loss of human lives, are deeply undermining low-income and fragile African countries’ development prospects; therefore, underlines that the development of an EU climate diplomacy entails to take concrete steps on climate finance and adaptation, which may include projects focusing on sustainable agriculture, ecosystem-based adaptation, water diplomacy and sustainable cities;

Amendment 373 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 a (new)

25a. Expresses its deep concern about the impact of reduced biodiversity on resilience levels; underlines that biodiversity loss has great environmental, societal and economic impacts; therefore, insists that the partnership should take full account of action and synergies in the climate and biodiversity agendas, in line with the Agenda 2063 and the European Green Deal's external dimension;

Amendment 374 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 25 b (new)

25b. Strongly believes that such partnership should strengthen cooperation through technical assistance, exchange of information and good practices in preservation, conservation and sustainable use of natural ecosystems in both continents;

Amendment 375 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

~~26. Calls for European support to help African countries implement the Paris Agreement to be stepped up;~~deleted

Amendment 376 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls for European support to help African countries ~~implement the Paris Agreement to be stepped up~~effectively implement and increase their Nationally Determined Contributions' ambition in the context of the Paris Agreement as well as their National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans; stresses that for such support to be effective, the future EU-Africa partnership for a green transition must be based on the principles of Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR) and policy coherence for sustainable development, as well as ensure a green transition that is just and inclusive;

Amendment 377 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls for European support to help African countries implement the Paris Agreement to be stepped up; calls on the European Commission and Member States to ensure that official development assistance is compatible with the Paris Agreement on climate change and does not contribute to biodiversity loss; emphasises, further, the need to include a gender dimension in climate action given the particular consequences of climate change and environmental degradation on women and girls;

Amendment 378 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls for European support to help African countries implement the Paris Agreement to be stepped up; emphasises that in order to combat climate change and environmental protection, it is essential, in particular, to reduce emissions, to preserve biodiversity, ecosystems, and land and maritime carbon sinks, to develop alternative sustainable solutions as part of a circular economy, and to improve mitigation and adaptation efforts;

Amendment 379 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls for European support to help African countries and local authorities to implement the Paris Agreement to be stepped up, through adequate funding for mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage while promoting an inclusive stakeholder participation in the elaboration and implementation of i.e. NDCs, NAP and National Agricultural Investment Plans;

Amendment 38 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)

Ba. whereas Africa is the youngest continent and every month about one million Africans enter the job market, lacking education or skills to match demand of the local labour market;

Amendment 380 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls for European support to help African countries implement the Paris Agreement to be stepped up; stresses that for such support to be effective, the future EU-Africa partnership for a green transition must be based on the principles of Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR) and policy coherence for sustainable development, as well as ensure a green transition that is just and inclusive;

Amendment 381 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls for European support to help African countries implement the Paris Agreement to be stepped up, through adequate funding for mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage while promoting an inclusive stakeholder participation in the elaboration and implementation of NDCs, NAP and National Agricultural Investment Plans, among others;

Amendment 382 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls for European support to help African countries implement the Paris Agreement to be stepped up and calls on the EU’s moral obligation to help countries in need to adapt to the consequences of climate change;

Amendment 383 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26

26. Calls for European support to help African countries implement the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework to be stepped up;

Amendment 384 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)

26a. Emphasises that adaptation strategies should encourage a change of model in African countries, founded on nature-based solutions; recalls the need to improve self-sufficiency in food, water and energy to ensure better living standards; emphasises that particular emphasis should be placed within the partnership on islands and remote territories whose populations are most vulnerable to climate change, in order to encourage their resilience and protection of their ecosystems;

Amendment 385 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 a (new)

26a. Highlights that African countries are disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change and that climate change effects are a risk factor of destabilization, violence and conflict; recalls the need that any activities part of the strategy must be compliant with climate objectives and goals, and in particular to climate change adaptation and empowering of the most vulnerable;

Amendment 386 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)

26b. Emphasises the importance of developing a circular economy based on waste reduction and reuse, and the good management and preservation of natural resources, especially water, in order to meet the environmental and climate goals of the African continent;

Amendment 387 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26 b (new)

26b. Recalls that the development of local production, distribution networks ensure local consumption, short food supply chains and increase environmental resilience;

Amendment 388 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

Amendment 389 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Calls for the swift implementation of ‘green deal diplomacy’ through the setting-up of a task force focusing on its external dimension, which should make recommendations for an AU-EU green deal; emphasises in this regard the relevance of regional cooperation, especially around the Mediterranean Sea, which offers an opportunity for implementing joint actions, particularly with regard to reducing pollution and combating climate change;

Amendment 39 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas the added value bpro~~ught~~vided by the ' EU ~~to its partnership with~~seeking cooperation with different nations in' Africa lies especially in its desire to build with it a long-term vision based on ~~shared values and a fresh commitment to multilateralism~~future peace, stability, democracy, respect for human rights contributing to stabile and sustainable societies;

Amendment 390 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Calls for the swift implementation of ‘green deal diplomacy’ through the setting-up of a task force focusing on its external dimension, which should make recommendations for an AU-EU green deal; considers that this deal should particularly support the adoption of regulatory frameworks that allow for the transition to a green economy and the creation of jobs in sustainable sectors;

Amendment 391 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27

27. Calls for the swift implementation of ‘green deal diplomacy’ through the setting-up of a task force focusing on its external dimension, which should make recommendations for an AU-EU green deal , involving local authorities and civil society organisations, within a multi-level and multi-stakeholder approach;

Amendment 392 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 – indent 1 (new)

- Insists on the importance of better communicating future climate and disaster risks and impacts, as well as adaption options for vulnerable populations in both regions within the future joint Strategy; recalls the important role of non-state actors and local authorities in building local resilience;

Amendment 393 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Welcomes the announcement of the NaturAfrica initiative, and calls for the link between public health and biodiversity to be taken into account; considers that conservation efforts centred on, for example, forests, wildlife and marine ecosystems, need to be stepped up; stresses that the NaturAfrica Initiative should be developed in consultation with all stakeholders, with particular attention to local communities, indigenous peoples, and women. It should support African governments and local populations to tackle major drivers of biodiversity loss and environmental degradation in a holistic and systematic way, including support for well managed protected area networks that involve and respect the rights of communities and indigenous peoples; to this end, urges the EU and Africa to recognise and protect indigenous people’s rights to customary ownership and control of their lands and natural resources as set out in the UNDRIP and ILO Convention 169 and to comply with the principle of Free, Prior and Informed consent; calls on the EU and Africa to play a leading role in the conclusion of an ambitious global agreement at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity;

Amendment 394 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Welcomes the announcement of the NaturAfrica initiative, and the review of the Action Plan against Wildlife Trafficking; calls for the link between public health and biodiversity to be taken into account in line with the ‘one health’ approach; considers that conservation efforts centred on, for example, forests, wildlife and marine ecosystems, need to be stepped up, making use of regulatory frameworks, sufficient resources and scientific data; calls for the allocation of adequate resources to implement the recommendations of the ‘Larger than elephants: Inputs for an EU strategic approach to wildlife conservation in Africa’ study and the ‘Study on the interaction between security and wildlife conservation in sub-Saharan Africa’; calls on the EU and Africa to play a leading role in the conclusion of an ambitious global agreement at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity;

Amendment 395 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

28. Welcomes the announcement of the NaturAfrica initiative, and calls for the link between public health and biodiversity to be taken into account; ~~considers that con~~recalls that Africa is home to exceptional biodiversity, thanks in particular to its Green Wall; considers that preservation efforts centred on, for example, forests, wildlife, and marine and coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves, need to be stepped up, and accompanied by ecosystem restoration and management actions; calls on the EU and Africa to play a leading role in the conclusion of an ambitious global agreement at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity;

Amendment 396 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28

Amendment 397 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)

28a. Recalls that trade liberalization has an impact on deforestation, climate change and biodiversity loss. Believes that the EU-Africa partnership must include a commercial policy that favours the defence of forests and biodiversity, the development of local agriculture and local producers and farmers, to promote a full food sovereignty and to reduce the phenomenon of land grabbing and deforestation for agricultural export use;

Amendment 398 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 28 a (new)

28a. Recalls that Africa is the least electrified region in the world, with about 590 million people still lacking access to electricity; recalls that access to reliable, secure and affordable energy services has huge development implications in key areas, such as education, health, agriculture and industry, needed for Africa’s long-term development;

Amendment 399 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. NCalls for energy policy to be a priority in its relations to Africa, the European Neighbourhood Policy and Post-2020 Partnership Agreements, taking into account the five dimensions of the Energy Union; notes that cooperation with Africa plays an important role in reaching climate and energy targets; points out that a functioning energy sector is a prerequisite for economic and social development; notes that access to affordable energy is essential; stresses the importance of channelling investment towards ~~the development of~~a carbon free economy by developing renewable energy sources and of facilitating technology transfer; such as for example solar power or green gas, including aspects of infrastructure and connectivity; underlines that further investment in coal-fired power generation must be avoided; stresses that the EU should step up its efforts to encourage third countries to participate in the market-based system and that the current establishment of the African Free Trade Area would provide a good moment for the start of negotiations in this regard;

Amendment 4 #

Motion for a resolution
Citation 1 b (new)

- having regard to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD),

Amendment 40 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas the added value brought by the EU to its partnership with Africa ~~lies in~~will depend on EU’s ability to combine an inter-continental dialogue with a context sensitive approach that comprehends the diversity of the countries of the continents as well as its desire to build with it a long- term vision based on shared values and a fresh commitment to multilateralism;

Amendment 400 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Notes that access to affordable energy is essential; stresses the importance of channelling investment towards the development of renewable energy and of facilitating technology transfer; encourages, therefore, the EU and the Member States to promote and strengthen cooperation with their African partners in the energy and climate sectors in accordance with the objectives of the Green Deal; notes to this end that renewable energy and energy efficiency are crucial elements in bridging the gap in access to energy on the African continent, while ensuring the necessary reduction in CO2; calls on the EU, in implementing the new hydrogen strategy, to cooperate with its African counterparts to develop this energy resource, in terms of both production and distribution, with suitable investment, in the interest of obtaining mutual and equal benefits;

Amendment 401 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Notes that access to affordable energy is essential; stresses the importance of channelling investment towards the development of renewable energy and of facilitating technology transfer; in particular, calls on the EU to promote the adoption of a Declaration on “IPR and Climate Change”, comparable to the Doha Declaration of 2001 on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, to foster the legal transfer of climate-friendly technology in developing countries;

Amendment 402 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Notes that access to affordable energy is an essential~~; stresses the importance of channelling investment towards the development of renewable energy~~ tool for development, including in rural areas, and that it is crucial to ensure an inclusive digital transition; calls for the development of Africa’s potential for renewable energy production; stresses the importance of channelling investment in this direction and of facilitating technology transfer;

Amendment 403 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. ~~Notes that access to affordable~~Welcomes EU’s support to National Energy and Climate Plans of African Countries, Notes that access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy is essential; stresses the importance of channelling investment towards the achievement of SDG 7 is key for development of renewable energy and of facilitating technology transfer;

Amendment 404 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Notes that access to affordable energy is essential and a precondition for development; emphasises the fact that access to energy is not uniform and is still limited on the African continent; stresses the importance of channelling investment towards the development of renewable energy and of facilitating technology transfer;

Amendment 405 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Notes that access to affordable energy is essential; stresses the importance of channelling investment towards the development of renewable energy and of facilitating technology transfer; Emphasises the unique perspective and needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as regards climate adaptation and mitigation;

Amendment 406 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Notes that access to affordable energy is essential; stresses the importance of channelling investment towards the development of renewable energy and of facilitating technology transfer, with a focus on decentralised micro-generation and small-scale renewable energy technologies that deliver energy needs locally;

Amendment 407 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

Amendment 408 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29

29. Notes that access to affordable energy is essential; stresses the importance of channelling investment towards the development of ~~renew~~sustainable energy ~~and of facilitating technology transfer~~solutions;

Amendment 409 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)

29a. Encourages increased efforts to overcome the paradox that Africa, despite being abundantly rich in sustainable energy sources, is still largely relying on traditional energy sources, which contribute to climate change and furthermore are not inclusive since a large part of African households continue to suffer under energy poverty; encourages hence African countries to unlock their energy sectors’ huge potential for growth and jobs, and call upon private investors to engage in innovative projects; calls on the EU and the respective African countries to exploit possibilities for mutually beneficial energy partnerships in terms of hydrogen;

Amendment 41 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas the added value brought by the EU to its partnership with Africa lies in its desire to build with it a long-term vision based on shared values and a fresh commitment to multilateralism by respecting the special characteristics and local sensibilities of partner countries and existing social structures;

Amendment 410 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 29 a (new)

29a. Calls for the need to explore decentralised energy production including promotion of community based initiatives as well fostering a culture of responsible consumption;

Amendment 411 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Stresses that the urbanisation of the African continent means that the search for solutions based on the sustainable city should be the subject of more intensive dialogue between the two continents, in particular with regard to infrastructure, waste management and sanitation systems, encouraging the involvement of young people; calls for support for the development of sustainable urban transport aimed at greater community inclusion and accessibility, particularly transport to schools and medical centres;

Amendment 412 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. SRecalls that cities are a place and factor of development in that they offer services and opportunities to local populations; stresses that the urbanisation of the African continent means that the search for solutions based on ~~the~~green and sustainable cityies, particularly port cities severely affected by pollution, should be the subject of more intensive dialogue and an exchange of good practices between the two continents;

Amendment 413 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Stresses that the urbanisation of the African continent ~~means that the search for solutions based on the sustainable city should be the subject of more intensive dialogue~~constitutes an opportunity to rethink urban planning and introduce sustainable city solutions, green infrastructure as well as ecosystem- based adaptation and disaster risk reduction approaches; considers it crucial to harness the cooperation and alliances that the EU's municipalities and regions have with their African counterparts and stresses the importance of more intensive dialogue and exchange of best practices between the two continents;

Amendment 414 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Stresses that the overpopulation and thus urbanisation of the African continent means that the search for solutions based on ~~the sustainable city should~~family planning for the most part and the concept of the “sustainable city” for a lesser part could be considered to be the subject of ~~more~~ intensive dialogue between the ~~two continent~~African nations, as well between the African governments and their citizens;

Amendment 415 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Stresses that the urbanisation of the African continent means that the search for solutions based on the sustainable city should be the subject of more intensive policy dialogue with local and regional authorities between the two continents;

Amendment 416 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Stresses that the urbanisation of the African continent and the needs of marginalized groups means that the search for solutions based on the sustainable city should be the subject of more intensive dialogue between the two continents;

Amendment 417 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30

30. Stresses that the urbanisation of the African continent ~~means that the search for solutions based on the sustainable city~~including to the needs of young people and marginalized groups, should be the subject of more intensive dialogue and cooperation between the two continents;

Amendment 418 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)

30a. Underlines that the disruptions triggered by COVID-19 have shone a spotlight on the vulnerabilities of the global food system; while an export-led industrial agriculture model is driving habitat loss and creates the conditions for viruses to emerge and spread, it demonstrates that short supply chains and other local initiatives hold major potential to address current food system failures; urges the Commission to develop a strategy to gradually shift away from trade-oriented agricultural policies to local and regional markets;

Amendment 419 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)

30a. Calls for disaster risk reduction to be addressed together with increased resilience to disasters and to environmental degradation in the context of sustainable development, poverty eradication and protection of those displaced for environmental reasons, incorporating these issues into policies, programmes and budgets at all levels;

Amendment 42 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

C. whereas the added value brought by the EU to its partnership with Africa lies in its desire to build with it a long-term vision based on shared values and mutual interests and a fresh commitment to multilateralism;

Amendment 420 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)

30a. Stresses the specific impact of climate change on women and girls, calls on the African and European partners to better highlight in the future EU-Africa partnership, the role women can play in leading their communities towards more sustainable practices and participating in decision-making on climate change adaptation and mitigation;

Amendment 421 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 30 a (new)

30a. Expresses serious concern about risks of overexploitation of natural resources, pollution and desertification processes; considers it important to define sustainable and fair value chains in order to counter these consequences;

Amendment 422 #

Motion for a resolution
Subheading 5

Partners for sustainable and resilient agriculture and fishing

Amendment 423 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

31. SRecalls that agroecology’s unique capacity to reconcile the economic, environmental and social dimensions of sustainability has been recognised by landmark reports from IPCC and IPBES and the World Bank and FAO-led global agricultural assessment (IAASTD); against this background, stresses that a paradigm shift from industrial agriculture to diversified agroecological systems is more urgent than ever; accordingly, stresses the importance of promoting agroecology and agroforestry in both national policies and international forums, and of increasing the sustainable productivity of the agricultural sector and its resilience to climate change;

Amendment 424 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

31. Stresses the importance of promoting agroecology and sustainable food systems, which focus on the development of short supply chains, local production and distribution, for local consumption, in both national policies and international forums, and of increasing the sustainable productivity of the agricultural sector and its resilience to climate change;

Amendment 425 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

31. Stresses the importance of promoting agroecology, fishing and sustainable aquaculture in both national policies and international forums, and of increasing the sustainable productivity of the agricultural, fishing and aquaculture sectors, and ~~its~~their resilience to climate change;

Amendment 426 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31

31. Stresses the importance of promoting agroecology in both national policies and international forums, in order to ensure food and nutritional security for all and of increasing the sustainable productivity of the agricultural sector and its resilience to climate change;

Amendment 427 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)

31a. Stresses that COVID 19, economic crisis, closure of borders, locust infestation and desertification deteriorated the already difficult food security situation in Africa. Calls for strengthening cooperation to boost rural development in Africa, to improve its agricultural productivity and develop its agrifood sector focusing on creating more attractive conditions for investment in agriculture;

Amendment 428 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)

31a. Calls for the European Union and its member states to create synergies between the EU-Africa strategy and the Green Deal(in particular the external dimension of the "Farm to fork" strategy), accompanied by concrete actions to guarantee the right to healthy, resilient and sustainable food for all;

Amendment 429 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)

31a. Recalls that hunger and food insecurity are again increasing across the world and that Africa is particularly affected; calls on the two continents to strengthen their cooperation to reverse this trend and achieve the goal of ‘zero hunger’;

Amendment 43 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C

Amendment 430 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 b (new)

31b. Emphasises the essential role of rural African women, in particular with regard to food security, and recalls the numerous barriers to their empowerment, be this in terms of access to land, resources, technology or credit;

Amendment 431 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. ~~Emphasises~~Stresses that the promotion of short supply is a key component of agroecological system: it can enhance access to fresh food, ensure greater value goes to farmer and reduce vulnerability to disruptions on international markets; emphasises therefore the importance of rural transformation and strengthening local and regional value chains in order to create sustainable jobs, while mitigating climate change; stresses the need to support young people and women and involve them in formulating agricultural policies;

Amendment 432 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Emphasises the importance of rural transformation and strengthening value chains in order to create sustainable jobs; stresses the need to support young people and women ~~and involve them in formulating agricultural policie~~through, in particular, training, access to credit and access to markets; calls for their involvement in formulating agricultural policies and for support for collective action through small producer organisations;

Amendment 433 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Emphasises the importance of rural transformation and strengthening value chains in order to create sustainable jobs; stresses the need to support young people and women and involve them in formulating agricultural policies; Encourages the advancement of inheritance rights for women and girls for property and access to land;

Amendment 434 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Emphasises the importance of rural transformation ~~and strengthening value chains~~ in order to create sustainable jobs; ~~stres~~proposes the need to support young people and women ~~and involve them in formulating agricultural policies~~in rural Africa and involve local African experts in formulating new and sustainable agricultural policies that ensures a balance between production and protection of the environment;

Amendment 435 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Emphasises the importance of rural transformation and strengthening the transparency of value chains in order to create sustainable jobs and avoid human rights violations; stresses the need to support young people and women and involve them in formulating agricultural policies;

Amendment 436 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32

32. Emphasises the importance of rural transformation and strengthening value chains in order to create sustainable jobs; stresses the need to support young people ~~and women~~, women and people with disabilities and involve them in formulating agricultural policies;

Amendment 437 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)

32a. Deplores that fact that land- grabbing is rife in Africa; stresses the importance of launching an inclusive process with the aim of establishing a mechanism guaranteeing the effective participation of civil society organizations in the development, implementation and monitoring of policies and actions related to land-grabbing;

Amendment 438 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)

32a. Calls for examination of best possibilities to promote sustainable and productive dryland agro-ecosystems, and accelerate knowledge exchange between European and African agricultural experts and professionals, sharing farmers’ experiments, extension of relationship with representatives of the rural communities and farmers;

Amendment 439 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)

32a. Retains that the promotion of food and nutrition security for all, with a particular attention to people in most vulnerable situation, should be a key priority of EU-Africa strategy;

Amendment 44 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas in Africa 390 million people are currently living below the poverty line and growth remain limited and not inclusive producing increasing inequalities;

Amendment 440 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 32 a (new)

32a. Stresses the importance of the inclusion of the protection and promotion of the right of local communities to access and control natural resources such as land and water;

Amendment 441 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Emphasises the importance of supporting small farms, with particular attention to women farmers, and pastoralism in order to boost their contribution to food sovereignty and food security, sustainable resource management and biodiversity conservation, aiming by 2030 to “ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality (SDG target 2.4)”;

Amendment 442 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. EInsists that EU funding on agriculture in Africa is in line with the transformative nature of Agenda 2030 and the Paris Climate Agreement and consequently, emphasises the importance of supporting small farms and pastoralism and other traditional/local food systems in order to boost their contribution to food sovereignty and food security, sustainable resource management and biodiversity conservation;

Amendment 443 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Emphasises the importance of supporting small farms and pastoralism in order to boost their contribution to food sovereignty and food security, sustainable resource management and biodiversity conservation; recalls that the development of local production, distribution networks ensure local consumption, short food supply chains and increase environmental resilience;

Amendment 444 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Emphasises the importance of supporting small farms and pastoralism in order to boost their contribution to food sovereignty and food security, sustainable resource management and biodiversity conservation; recalls that the end of malnutrition in all its forms and SDG 2 – Zero Hunger should be considered as priorities in the new partnership;

Amendment 445 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Emphasises the importance of supporting small farms, with particular attention to women and young farmers, and pastoralism in order to boost their contribution to food sovereignty and food security, sustainable resource management and biodiversity conservation;

Amendment 446 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

Amendment 447 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Emphasises the importance of ~~supporting small farms and pastoralism in order to boost~~Europe to consider supporting individual African nations with viable solutions to increase their contribution to food sovereignty and food security, sustainable resource management and biodiversity conservation;

Amendment 448 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

33. Emphasises the importance of supporting small farms and pastoralism in order to strengthen their resilience and boost their contribution to food ~~sovereignty and food~~ security, sustainable resource management and biodiversity conservation;

Amendment 449 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33

Amendment 45 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas Africa is home to the youngest population in the world and some of the world’s most fragile states;

Amendment 450 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 – indent 1 (new)

- Highlights that, according to the WFP, food insecurity and malnutrition have severely increased in recent years and that it will continue to increase unless prompt action is taken; Notes that in 2019 Africa had the largest numbers of acutely food-insecure people in need of assistance, reaching 73 million people at risk (IPC/CH Phase3 or above), in countries affected by weather events, conflicts and economic crisis; Calls on the EU and Member States to step up humanitarian assistance and development cooperation to mitigate and prevent food insecurity in line with SDG 2;

Amendment 451 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)

33a. Recalls the importance of working towards better ocean governance, including as regards the development of fisheries and sustainable aquaculture and a blue economy, which are vectors of development; emphasises that action against illegal, undeclared and unregulated fishing must be a priority in order to limit the environmental impacts and preserve the sustainability of fish stocks and fisheries incomes;

Amendment 452 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)

33a. Is deeply concerned about the high dependence of African states on food imports, especially from the European Union, particularly when these imports are made up of subsidized products whose low price represents harmful competition for small-scale agriculture in Africa;

Amendment 453 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)

33a. Calls for addressing the social tensions between settled, agricultural population and nomad pastoral communities, notably in regions where ethno-religious conflicts are overlapping;

Amendment 454 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 a (new)

33a. Recalls that the development of local production, distribution networks ensure local consumption, short food supply chains and increase environmental resilience;

Amendment 455 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 33 b (new)

33b. Calls expressly on the Commission to monitor activities related to industrial fishing in certain regions of the African continent as it may pose a threat to the stocks available to local populations using traditional fishing resources but also risks creating an imbalance in the good ecological status of fishery stocks;

Amendment 456 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Encourages exchanges of best practices between European and African farmers and, in particular, contacts between young farmers, also within the framework of associations; and stronger reliance on the contributions of African traditional knowledge to a just transition, especially regarding agriculture practices, fisheries and forests’ protection, thereby empowering the African people and local communities;

Amendment 457 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Encourages exchanges of best practices between European and African farmers and, in particular, contacts between young farmers; and stronger reliance on the contributions of African traditional knowledge to a just transition, especially regarding agriculture practices, fisheries and forests’ protection, thereby empowering the African people and local communities;

Amendment 458 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Encourages exchanges of best practices between European and African farmers and, in particular, contacts between young farmers around sustainable production methods and biodiversity protection;

Amendment 459 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Encourages exchanges of best practices between European and African farmers and, in particular, contacts between young farmers and women;

Amendment 46 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)

Ca. whereas access to decent work and living conditions locally are essentials to mitigate the tendency of migration;

Amendment 460 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34

34. Encourages exchanges of best practices between European and African farm~~ers and, in particular, contacts between young farmer~~ing experts;

Amendment 461 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)

34a. Emphasises the role that world trade has to play in achieving a scenario of sustainable and stable economic growth in Africa; condemns the fact that global trade liberalisation has not occurred in a strict sense but rather in an asymmetric way that is detrimental to developing countries, on the one hand by establishing progressive tariffs for higher value-added agricultural products from developing countries, thus making it impossible to create competitive local industries, and, on the other, through a lack of tariff restrictions on exports by multinationals from developed countries to developing countries, which has made it impossible to establish local competitors; advocates reframing the principle of reciprocity in tariff policies, replacing it with the principle of reciprocity between equals, consisting of: trade liberalisation between countries with similar income levels, tariffs on exports by multinationals from developed countries to developing countries, and a complete removal of tariffs on exports from developing countries to countries with higher income levels;

Amendment 462 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)

34a. Recalls that EU trade and agricultural policy can have a negative impact on food security in developing countries; notes that in West Africa, milk producers are confronted with growing imports of milk powder from Europe which are less expensive than their locally produced milk; stresses that, in line with the principle of Policy Coherence for Development, the EU must avoid all forms of dumping of dairy products on African markets; accordingly, calls on the EU to support the West African regional policy called “milk offensive”, notably by enabling the revision of their common external tariffs within the remit of revised economic partnership agreements (EPAs), which shall support effectively the integration of regional market;

Amendment 463 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital 34 a (new)

34a. Calls for the partnership to concentrate on a strategic investment plan for research and innovation in the farming sector to encourage, quickly and ambitiously, the necessary structural changes and processes required to modernise the system, with the aim of ending hunger, developing agricultural practices and food systems that protect the environment and conserve biodiversity, while ensuring food safety and nutrition for all, particularly children and the most fragile and vulnerable members of society;

Amendment 464 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)

34a. Considers it necessary to ensure locals’ participation, full accountability and sustainability in the management of natural resources and to respect traditional land use and safeguard local communities’ access to land and water; asks the Commission and the Member States to step up efforts to counter land grabbing and to assist local communities and civil society networks in this fight;

Amendment 465 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 34 a (new)

34a. Recalls that the oceans are the largest global source of proteins, with more than 3 billion people relying on them for their main source of protein;

Amendment 466 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Stresses that the digital transformation represents a tremendous development lever for access to education, training and health, participation in political decision-making, as well as for the modernisation of the agricultural sector, but that it can also bring with it the risk of increasing inequalities, in particular between the genders and that it is necessary to bridge the digital gender gap for a truly inclusive digital transformation; stresses that the digital transformation must support equal access, use and creation of digital technology, with a view to bridging the digital gap, including the digital gender gap;

Amendment 467 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Stresses that the digital transformation represents a tremendous development lever for access to education, employment, training and health, as well as for the modernisation of the agricultural sector, but that it can also bring with it the risk of increasing gaps and inequalities, ~~in particular between the genders~~notably in terms of gender, income and generations and that it is necessary to bridge the digital gender gap for a truly inclusive digital transformation;

Amendment 468 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Stresses that the digital transformation represents a tremendous development lever for access to education, training and health, as well as for the modernisation of the agricultural sector, but that it can also bring with it the risk of increasing inequalities, in particular between the genders, and accentuating the exclusion of people with disabilities;

Amendment 469 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Stresses that the digital transformation represents a tremendous development lever for access to education, training and health, as well as for the modernisation of the agricultural sector, but that it can also bring with it the risk of increasing inequalities, in particular between the genders; recalls, however, that the digital transition cannot take place without access to energy;

Amendment 47 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C b (new)

Cb. whereas in 2018, raw materials account for 49% of total imports of the EU from Africa; and whereas the extractive sector is the most important one of Foreign Direct Investment to Africa;

Amendment 470 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Stresses that the digital transformation represents a tremendous development lever for access to education, training and health, as well as for the modernisation of the agricultural sector~~, but that it can also bring with it the risk of increasing inequalities, in particular between the genders~~;

Amendment 471 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Stresses that the digital transformation represents a tremendous development lever for ~~access to~~human rights and freedom of expression and for access to information, education, training ~~and~~, health, as well as for the modernisation of the agricultural sector, but that it can also bring with it the risk of increasing inequalities, in particular between the genders;

Amendment 472 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. ~~Stresse~~Recalls that the digital ~~transforma~~revolution represents ~~a tremendous development lever for access to education, tra~~societies with a whole set of new challenges, bringing ~~and health, as well as for the modernisation of the agricultural sector, but that it can also bring with~~both risks and opportunities, which entails to address effectively the disruptive effects of digital technologies itn t~~he risk of increasing inequalities, in particular between the gender~~erms of employability, digital divide, gender inequality, democracy, data privacy cybersecurity, and regulatory issues;

Amendment 473 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Stresses that the digital transformation represents a tremendous development lever for access to education, training and health, as well as for the modernisation of the agricultural sector, but that it can also bring with it the risk of increasing inequalities, in particular ~~between the gender~~geographical and gender inequalities;

Amendment 474 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35

35. Stresses that the digital transformation might represents a tremendous development -lever for access to education, training and health, as well as for the modernisation of the agricultural sector~~, but that it can also bring with it the risk of increasing inequalities, in particular between the genders~~;

Amendment 475 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)

35a. Highlights that digital economy account for an increasing share of global energy use (among which certain rare metals with low recyclability and limited accessible reserves) and greenhouse gas emissions (digital CO2 emissions are estimated to be at 2-5% of total emissions), while increasing the generation of e-waste worldwide poses challenges for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, notably regarding health and the environment; reasserts the need to shift patterns of production and consumption to combat climate change; calls on the EU and Africa to step up its efforts for developing responsible investment, so as to help minimize e-waste production, prevent illegal dumping and improper treatment of e-waste, promote the efficient use of resources and recycling, and create jobs in the refurbishment and recycling sector;

Amendment 476 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)

35a. Stresses the need to ensure that digital education and literacy be holistic, including soft and transversal skills such as critical thinking and intercultural understanding, to ensure that digital education prepares students adequately for the modern digital world;

Amendment 477 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)

35a. Calls for greater attention to be paid to inequalities in training and access to digital services, and encourages women and girls to develop their potential with regard to new technologies;

Amendment 478 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)

35a. Stresses the importance stipulating full accessibility in the development of all digital technology services, adhering to the relevant international and national standards and guidelines;

Amendment 479 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)

35a. Underlines the need to prioritise access to internet connectivity to the majority of marginalised African communities to avoid a huge gap between the rural and urban population;

Amendment 48 #

Motion for a resolution
Recital C c (new)

Cc. whereas the indirect consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa already bring a heavy toll, notably in terms of food insecurity, loss of income and livelihood and a looming debt crisis;

Amendment 480 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 35 a (new)

35a. Stresses the importance stipulating full accessibility in the development of all digital technology services, adhering to the relevant international and national standards and guidelines;

Amendment 481 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. ~~Stresses that the partnership should~~Underlines that digitalisation has the potential to either boost or undermine democracy, as ICT can be used for harmful purposes to monitor, censor and control the communications of citizens, thereby jeopardising civil and human rights; calls on the EU to duly reflect upon these risks, when promoteing research and innovation and access to digital services, in order to foster social inclusion; calls on African and European partners to address issues such as cyber- bullying, online violence against women and girls and sexist hate speech in the EU-Africa partnership;

Amendment 482 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. Stresses that the partnership should promote research and innovation and access to digital services, the mainstreaming of digital skills and literacy in formal and informal education while encouraging girls and young women’s participation in these subjects, and equal access to digital services including in health, education and social protection in order to foster social inclusion;

Amendment 483 #

Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 36

36. Stresses that the partnership should promote research and innovation ~~and~~, the mainstreaming of digital skills and literacy in formal and informal education while encouraging girls and young women’s participation in these subjects, and equal access to digital services, in order to foster social inclusion;

Amendment 484 #