DECISION ON AFRICA-EUROPEAN UNION DIALOGUE - DOC. EX.CL/342 (XI)
The Executive Council:
1. TAKES NOTE of the Report on Africa-European Union (EU) Dialogue;
2. WELCOMES the consultations undertaken with various stakeholders leading to the finalization of the outline for the Joint Africa-EU Strategy;
3. ADOPTS the Outline for the Joint Africa-EU Strategy as a basis for the elaboration of a fully-fledged Joint Strategy and Action Plan to be adopted at the December, 2007 Lisbon Africa-Europe Summit;
4. URGES the Africa-EU Ministerial Troika and the Experts to expedite the elaboration of the Joint Strategy and Action Plan as part of Lisbon Summit documentation;
5. WELCOMES progress made in preparations for the Africa-EU Summit to be held in Portugal, in December 2007, and NOTES that all African countries and the African Union (AU) Organs would be invited without conditions;
6. URGES all African Countries and the AU Organs to fully participate in the Summit;
7. ENDORSES the convening of a joint ministerial meeting to prepare adequately for the Lisbon Summit and WELCOMES in this regard the offer by the Arab Republic of Egypt to host the meeting in November 2007;
8. REQUESTS the Chairperson of the Commission to ensure that the Agenda of the Summit takes into account Africa’s development needs including agriculture and food security;
9. SUPPORTS the forthcoming launching of the Africa-EU Partnership on Infrastructure and REQUESTS the Commission to take all necessary measures to ensure participation of African stakeholders at this important event.