The EU - Africa Relationship

Seminar paper from the year 2009 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Topic: Development Politics, grade: 1,0, University of Economics, Prague (Faculty of International Relations), course: Africa in International Relations, language: English, abstract: In the sense of most people poverty, underdevelopment and worse living conditions are directly connected to the continent of Africa and the people living there. Furthermore Africa has been exploited by other nations and distressed by internal military and non-military conflicts. This is why most nations all over the world have identified the need of help, although it is sometimes done for their own purpose. This paper will focus on the EU development strategy and policy for the African continent. First of all I will explain the legal foundation and principles of the Union's Africa strategy. Secondly I'll try to identify the most important impacts on the changing relationship between Africa and the EU since the 1950s. This will be followed by a detailed insight into the history of common European Development Policy from the times of the EEC to the Treaty of Cotonou. After that I want to focus on the actual relationship, especially the Lisbon Declaration and the joint strategy for Africa. Last but not least there will be a short evaluation if this strategy is or even could be successful. In the end I will sum up my results and connect them to my own opinion.