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17.30 -18.00 |
Welcome and registration of participants |
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18.00 -19.30 |
OPENING SESSION
Can we protect Africa from the economic crisis? |
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The global economic roller-coaster that in recent years saw encouraging GDP growth in a number of Africa’s sub-Saharan states, has now turned down abruptly, with ominous signs that the worldwide recession will hit developing countries most severely. With the US and the EU concerned more than ever with their domestic economies, will Africa once again become the “forgotten continent”? What will be the impact on African economies of reduced remittances by emigrant workers, falling oil and raw materials prices and substantial cost increases for agricultural inputs? What should be the G-20 policy priorities in areas like education, health and social welfare if Africans are not to bear the brunt of the crisis? |
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Keynote address by Louis Michel, EU Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid |
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| Panellists: |
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Michael Keating, Director of the Africa Progress Panel (APP) |
| James Musoni, Rwanda's Minister for Finance and Economic Planning |
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Andreas Proksch, Director General for Africa, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) |
| Koen Vervaeke, Head of Delegation, EU Special Representative to the African Union |
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Chaired by Viscount Etienne Davignon, President of Friends of Europe |
| Moderated by Giles Merritt, Secretary General of Friends of Europe |
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19:30 -20:00 |
Cocktail |
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20:00 |
DINNER DEBATE (by invitation only)
Does Europe risk "losing" Africa? |
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The EU promised a new era in its relations with Africa in which the archaic and narrow-minded “donor-beneficiary relationship” would be left behind and a new partnership between equals created. Yet, China has in fact been setting pace on infrastructural investment in the continent, and the United States has been working hard to make its Africa policies more coherent. Does the EU now risk losing its position as Africa’s most privileged partner? |
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Chaired by Viscount Etienne Davignon, President of Friends of Europe |
| Moderated by Giles Merritt, Secretary General of Friends of Europe |
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Attendance at the dinner is by separate personal invitation only. |
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DAY TWO: 30 April, Thursday |
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09.00 -09.30 |
Welcome coffee and registration of participants |
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09.30 -11.00 |
SESSION I
Fine-tuning EU-Africa trade and investment |
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As the global recession bites and world trade shrinks, better market access and lower tariffs for African goods will be a top priority if African countries’ economic fortunes are to be protected. But protectionism by the world’s richer countries – particularly in defence of their own farm trade interests – is once again in the air. And debate is still acrimonious between EU and African leaders over the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) that Brussels proposed in 2002. Designed to replace existing preferential deals ruled illegal by the WTO, the EPAs mean that within 15 years all ACP countries will have to open 80% of the markets to the EU, and that could also include services. The EU says that Africa needs to reverse its dwindling share of world exports and argues that the EPAs will help develop stronger regional markets and attract investment in key services like telecommunications, construction, financial services and added-value industrialisation. In today’s recessionary environment, how great a risk is there that this level of trade liberalisation could depress domestic production in Africa and further aggravate unemployment? What will be the impact on Africa of falling commodity prices? |
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| Panellists: |
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Charles Dan, Regional Director for Africa, International Labour Organisation (ILO) |
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João Aguiar Machado, European Commission Deputy Director General for Trade and Chief Negotiator for the Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) |
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Jean-François Lassalle, Vice President Public Affairs, Exploration and Production, Total |
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Vittorio Prodi MEP, Chairman of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with South Africa |
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Moderated by Giles Merritt, Secretary General, Friends of Europe and Peter Guest, Editor of This is Africa, a publication of the Financial Times |
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11.30 -13.00 |
SESSION II
Getting Africa's infrastructure right |
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In spite of the impact of worldwide economic recession, some analysts suggest that growth in African countries will not be as severely affected as in the developed world. The IMF has suggested that average GDP growth at 4.7% in 2009 will be down only slightly from last year’s 5.2%, with debt write-offs of recent years having eased the costs of servicing loans and released more funds for productive investment as well as health and social spending. What sort of infrastructural strategies are now being put in place across Africa to meet the energy, water, telecoms and transportation needs that will be the basis of the continent’s economic performance in the years ahead? With tightening constraints on public and private sector funding, can key infrastructure projects in Africa still be delivered by public-private partnerships? Is it more essential than ever that African countries should seek to attract inward investment by applying the disciplines of good governance and transparency so as to stamp out corruption? |
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| Helena Bambasová, Czech Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs |
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Thierry de Longuemar, Vice President for Finance of the African Development Bank (AfDB) |
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Pekka Haavisto MP, Finnish Foreign Minister's Special Envoy for African Horn and Sudan, Former Minister for Development Cooperation and Former EU Special Representative to Sudan |
| Stefano Manservisi, European Commission Director General for Development |
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Akere Muna, Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of Transparency International (TI) and Founder and Former President of TI Cameroon |
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Robert Tortora, Regional Research Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, Gallup |
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Moderated by Giles Merritt, Secretary General, Friends of Europe and Peter Guest, Editor of This is Africa, a publication of the Financial Times |
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| 13.00 -14.00 |
Lunch |
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| 14.00 -15.30 |
SESSION III
Report card on overcoming Africa's healthcare challenges |
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The drive to combat Africa’s three most debilitating diseases – HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria – has begun to yield encouraging results in some parts of the continent. But it is still far from resolving the continent’s health problems, as the spread of cholera in Southern Africa so clearly demonstrates. Is enough attention being given to creating medical infrastructures and improving basic health education in Africa? How can we avoid brain-drains like those in Mozambique and Ghana that have led to over 70% of their doctors working abroad, and what can we do to ensure that health systems in Africa are adequately funded to retain their own health professionals? The private sector has come up with pioneering schemes to extend private health insurance to low-income communities, but can we mobilise foreign investors to help expand private medical services? Will the private sector continue to be the key player in Africa despite public health officials’ efforts to strengthen governments’ state care? |
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| Panellists: |
| Lene Andersen, Vice President, Global Diabetes Partnerships, Novo Nordisk |
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Alain Champeaux, Senior Vice President for Africa and Middle East, Refining and Marketing, Total |
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Luís Gomes Sambo, Regional Director for Africa, World Health Organisation (WHO) |
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Dana Hovig, Chief Executive Officer, Marie Stopes International |
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Moderated by Giles Merritt, Secretary General, Friends of Europe and Anya Sitaram, Executive Producer of Rockhopper TV and Former Presenter at BBC World News |
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| 15.30 |
End of summit |
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