President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to participate in the sixth African Union-European Union (AU-EU) Summit, being held in Belgium, where nations are hoping to launch an ambitious AU-EU investment package.

The President travelled to the European city on Wednesday, after giving his reply to the debate on the State of the Nation Address, in Parliament.

According to the Presidency, President Ramaphosa’s participation in the summit is at the invitiation of Chairperson of the African Union Commission and the President will be accompanied by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor.

“President Ramaphosa will participate in the climate change and energy transition, digital and transport roundtable on [Thursday] and will chair the roundtable on health systems and vaccine production on [Friday],” the Presidency said.

Round table discussions at the summit will focus on seven specific areas including:

• Financing for sustainable and inclusive growth;
• Climate change and energy transition, digital and transport [connectivity and infrastructure];
• Peace, Security and Governance;
• Private sector support and economic integration;
• Education, culture and vocational training, migration and mobility;
• Agriculture and sustainable development; and
• Health systems and vaccine production.

“The 2022 Summit is expected to adopt a declaration and deliverables that set out broad agreement between Africa and the European Union on how both continents can build greater prosperity. The aim is to launch an ambitious Africa-Europe Investment Package, taking into account global challenges such as climate change and the current health crisis.

“Leaders will also explore tools and solutions to promote stability and security through a renewed peace and security architecture,” the Presidency said.

The President’s office explained that the AU-EU partnership has grown since it was initiated in Egypt at the first ever summit held in 2000.

“The partnership became structured through the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES) that was an outcome of the 2nd AU-EU Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, in December 2007. This strategy is the overall cooperation framework that governs this partnership,” the Presidency said.

Source: South African Government News Agency