Official development assistance to Africa

• Published in: Handbook of Africa’s International Relations pp. 261 - 271
• Main Author: Kieh, George Klay
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 2014
• Edition: 1
• Subjects: Multilateral Oda; Cotonou Partnership Agreement; Bilateral Oda; IDA; Development Assistance Programme; International Development Association; Official Development Assistance; NEPAD’s Goal; British Oda; Africa EU; EU Africa Summit; EU Special Representative; Top Recipients; EU Oda; Africa EU Relation; AU Member State; PSC Protocol; AU Commission; Africa EU Policy; Oda Programme; Africa’s International Relations; Africa EU Joint Strategy; Continental Early Warning System; African Development Bank; China’s Oda
• ISBN: 9781857438277; 1857436334; 1857438272; 9781857436334
• DOI: 10.4324/9780203803929-30

This chapter examines the roots of the strategy, focusing on the evolution of the central idea of political dialogue, as well as precursors to the Joint Africa-European Union (EU) Strategy (JAES). It explores Changing institutional and geopolitical priorities that facilitated the launch of the JAES. The Action Plan's eight partnerships spanned the gamut of subjects concerning Africa-EU relations. Some represented areas where the two sides already had a relationship, albeit not framed in this manner, such as in peace and security, trade and regional integration, and the Millennium Development Goals. Connected to each partnership was an equivalent Joint Expert Group (JEG), with responsibility for implementing Action Plan commitments. An innovative tool, the JEGs were designed to be informal, open-ended bodies, providing a forum where experts could discuss the implementation and financing of priority actions. Africa-EU ministerial troika meetings have continued since established at the Cairo summit. The biannual meetings have been attached to the JAES implementation process, including political dialogue.