EU-African Union Summit gets going in Brussels, with Morocco as a participant

Morocco took part in the sixth European Union-African Union conference, which began Thursday afternoon in Brussels.
Nasser Bourita, Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans Abroad, leads the Moroccan delegation.

If the summit provides an opportunity for the European side to lay the groundwork for a renewed and deeper partnership with the African Union, Morocco will affirm its political commitment at the highest level through its qualitative presence, led by HM King Mohammed VI, which is part of the Royal Vision for a prosperous, emancipated Africa capable of taking control of its destiny.

In addition to Morocco’s active participation in all segments (intergovernmental, private sector, NGOs) in the run-up to the summit, the Kingdom’s co-chairmanship of the round table on Education, Culture, Vocational Training, and Migration and Mobility on Friday is a sign of renewed confidence in the Kingdom’s place among its African brothers and European friends and partners, thanks to the Royal leadership.

This summit, according to the Council of Europe, “will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to establish the foundations for a revived and deepened EU-AU cooperation with political commitment at the highest level, based on trust and a clear understanding of our common interests.”

African and European leaders are set to debate how the two continents might boost prosperity, with the goal of launching an ambitious Africa-Europe investment package that addresses global issues like climate change and the current health crisis.

According to the same source, the two sides would also examine instruments and ways to achieve stability and security through a revamped architecture for peace and security.

The summit will be organized around the following themes:

Financing growth, health systems and vaccine production, agriculture and sustainable development, education, culture, and vocational training, migration and mobility, private sector support, economic integration and peace, security and governance, and finally climate change and energy transition, digital connectivity, infrastructure, and transportation.

At the conclusion of the summit, a joint declaration on a shared vision for 2030 should be adopted.

The fifth EU-African Union Summit was place in Abidjan on November 29 and 30, 2017. On that occasion, the EU and AU presidents signed a joint declaration defining shared priorities for the EU-Africa collaboration in four important areas:

Economic Opportunities for Youth, Peace and Security, Mobility and Migration, and Governance Cooperation.