A VIRTUAL EXHIBITION

With its young workforce, Africa is a continent beaming with energy and commercial dynamism. Foreign direct investment is surging and sectors like telecom, banking, retail and construction are flourishing. It is home to a vast share of the world’s natural resources that, if protected and managed sustainably, offer huge prospects for sustainable development. Green and digital opportunities abound all over the continent.
 
Yet, despite these upward trends and huge potential, Africa still faces challenges. Over recent years, millions of people have left their homes fleeing political instability, extreme poverty, terrorism, climate change induced natural crises, food and nutrition crises, or in search of a better life. Some people move within their own country, others attempt their luck elsewhere in the region, or on another continent. Data provided by UNHCR estimates that Sub-Saharan Africa currently hosts more than 26 per cent of the world’s refugee population. Internal mass displacement has also increased across the continent due to armed conflicts. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded this already difficult situation.
 
The EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF for Africa) was set up to help the most vulnerable and marginalised people, including refugees, internally displaced persons, migrants and members of host communities. Over the past few years, it has provided great momentum for a coordinated response by the European Union and its Member States to multiple crises across three regions (Sahel and Lake Chad, Horn of Africa and North of Africa).
 
The Fund focuses on addressing urgent development and security needs to ensure long-term stability and sustainable development. In doing so, it has successfully supported partner countries’ efforts through actions like improving access to basic services, helping people get jobs, supporting youth employment and giving small local businesses the boost they need to flourish and be competitive globally. The Fund works along cross-border areas to stem conflict and boost economic development, and has contributed greatly to pioneering the Global Compact on Refugees, reinforcing links between humanitarian and development work, and delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals.
 
Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, the EUTF for Africa has also contributed to our Team Europe response, helping our most vulnerable partners mitigate the effects of the pandemic. It has allowed in particular for a quick re-allocation of resources to address the health and economic crisis in several countries across the three regions.
 
Several stakeholders and EU institutions, including the European Court of Auditors in its Special Report on the EUTF for Africa, published in 2018, have highlighted how the Fund has helped to translate political priorities, implement actions and deliver concrete results. It has been an instrumental platform for reinforcing EU cooperation and political engagement on migration and facilitating dialogue with partner countries in Africa. Pooling EU and other donors’ resources has been a turning point in better understanding and tackling head-on migration challenges. By supporting the creation of legal pathways and agreements, we protect those on the move. Our ultimate aim is for people to migrate out of aspiration and not desperation.
 
Development needs deeply intertwine with security concerns so the EUTF for Africa further works to tackle criminal networks, especially those involved in human trafficking and smuggling, terrorism-related activities, radicalisation and violent extremism, including among youth. To this end, the Fund helps governments build greater state capacity to deliver justice and security to citizens.
 
After five years, the EUTF for Africa continues to demonstrate its added value, from a policy and partnership building perspective, but also by making a difference where it counts the most: on the ground in the real lives of people. Its valuable experience will feed into future programmes focusing on root causes of migration and forced displacement. The work done through the Fund is just one key milestone in the EU’s ongoing commitment to support Africa’s most vulnerable populations.
 
We are determined to address shared challenges and opportunities with our African partners, ensuring we meet the ambition of a renewed and stronger Africa-EU Partnership. Only by working side by side and hand in hand can our two continents carve out a more prosperous, peaceful and sustainable future for all our people.
 


Jutta Urpilainen

EU Commissioner for International Partnerships