AU-EU Summit

Today, African Union and European Union leaders discussed the global vaccine rollout and calls to support the current proposal at the World Trade Organization (WTO), tabled by India and South Africa and backed by 100 countries, to temporarily suspend intellectual property rules for COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments. 
 

In response to the announcement of the withdrawal of the Barkhane military operation and the Takuba forces from Mali, Oxfam's West Africa Regional Director, Assalama Dawalack Sidi said: "The withdrawal is a terrible admission of failure. Nearly ten years of military operations in the country have solved nothing as much of the Central Sahel continues to be plagued by conflict." 

At the AU-EU Summit, African Union and European Union leaders will meet to discuss cooperation between the AU and the EU “based on shared interests and values.” The summit will take place during the French EU Presidency and the French government has indicated a high level of ambition in terms of outcomes.  

On the sidelines of the AU-EU summit in Abidjan, the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union have announced they will put in place a joint task force to save the lives of migrants and refugees in Libya. But at the same time, European support for the Libyan coastguard contributes to stopping and returning people who are trying to escape the hell they are facing in Libya, a policy Oxfam condemns. 

Europe's new plan for investing in Africa will see EU development support being channelled through private companies. Here we look at what the EU must do to ensure those funds actually go to the people aid is meant to help.