Ahead of a summit of African heads of states summit next month, the two-day African Union/European Union business forum opened in the Ghanaian capital Accra. The forum was launched in November 2006.
Dr Maxwell Mkwezalamba, the AU Commissioner for Economic Affairs who addressed the opening programme, called for the need to build strong linkages between African and European private sectors and that AU and EU should foster strong trade partnership.
Dr Mkwezalamba said for effective and strong partnership to flourish between the two continents, there must be linkages that facilitate exchange of information, technology transfer as well as building of strategic alliance.
He said holding annual forum brings out lofty ideas and recommendations, which must be implemented. Dr Mkwezalamba therefore called on AU and EU to demonstrate strong commitment in implementing the outcome of the meetings, which matters most.
Louis Michel, the EU Commissioner said the AU has become a key political force and an engine of change for the African continent because the energy and quality of the project have made the union a credible force.
He however recommended the need for what he called ambitious political partnership between the two communities. Mr Michel saw this as vital for mutual cooperation between the AU and EU.
“It was high time for EU to draw up a strategy to help Africa reverse the trend of its growing marginalisation in world trade,” he recommended, disclosing that Africa’s share in the world export has dropped by 60%. The continent also records a yearly loss of US $70 billion.
Ghana’s Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, used the platform to blast the European governments to avoid harbouring negative perceptions about Africa, which hampers investment inflow to the continent.
He said Africa’s current exports accounted only 27% to Asia compared to 14% in 2000.
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