Consolidating African and EU assessments in view of the implementation of the Partnership on Peace and Security

Ahead of the third Africa-EU Summit taking place from 29-30 November in Libya, this study consolidates African and EU assessments for the implementation of the Partnership on Peace and Security. The first part of the study is dedicated to the assessment of progress achieved so far in the three priority actions of the Africa-EU Partnership on Peace and Security: a) political dialogue; b) operationalisation of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA); c) funding. The analysis revealed an enhanced political dialogue between the EU and the AU, even if structures and mechanisms need to be improved. The second part of the study is focused on the investigation of the European support to African peace and security, taking into account funding provided by both EU institutions and Member States as well as possible future cooperation among the EU, the African Union and the United Nations. The third and final part offers an overall analysis of current and future priorities for the major actors involved in the Partnership on Peace and Security. In particular, some conceptual and policy inputs on how to foster the future implementation of the Partnership and on how to reconcile bilateral and multilateral dynamics, on both the African and European sides, are put forward.

A project implemented by the Istituto affari internazionali (IAI) and funded by the European Union. Study based on the background research and the outcomes of the Conference on "Ensuring Peace and Security in Africa: implementing the new Africa-EU Partnership and developing cooperation in de-mining and disarmament", held at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Rome on October 7-9, 2009.