Adesão à Europa e Política Europeia

Governance and Africa-Europe Relations, por  Ismael Valigy

One of the most important achievements of the Lisbon Summit was the adoption of “A Joint Africa-EU Strategy” and “The Action Plan 2008-2010”. The intention was to establish a new stage in the Africa-EU relationship in order “to forge a new and stronger partnership”. The issue of governance deserved a particular attention from both parties but there is no universal definition of governance. While some core elements are common in the definitions used, there are also important variations and evolutions. It is crucial to consider the integrated process, not only one component. During the process of the negotiations, the open spirit and consistent determination to achieve positive results and consensual contents prevailed. It is now vital to maintain this determination during the process of implementation. This means not adopting unilateral positions and conditionality, but to accept the importance of working together through the process of open political dialogue and respecting the already existing African mechanisms.