Brussels, 8-9 March 2012 - Africa-EU Partnership

II. OutcomesA. Progress achieved in the partnership since last JTF (October 2011)1. Regional Integrationa. The JEG on 7 March 2012 discussed the decisions of the 18 th AU Summit to acceleratethe establishment of a Continental Free Trade Area and the Programme for InfrastructureDevelopment in Africa (PIDA) that fall directly within the scope of partnership 3. Giventhe role of the RECs in these initiatives, closer cooperation between the JEG and the AUCmeetings in charge of implementation was recommended.b. A first staff secondment (EC to AUC) took place in Autumn 2011 and a second one (AUCto EC) is confirmed for March 2012.2. Industrial developmenta. The JEG was informed by AUC and UNIDO on the establishment of AIDA SteeringCommittee.b. A first exchange took part at the JEG on the 5th EU-Africa Business Forum.c. The EC/DG Enterprise confirmed the holding of a conference on industrial cooperation inAfrica in principle in the second semester of 2012 and the continuation of the policydialogue on SME, in cooperation with AUC and UNIDO.3. InvestmentUNIDO presented the report of Africa's Investors Survey and Monitoring Platform at the JEG.Expansion of coverage to the whole continent is envisaged if financial support can be secured.The AUC requested UNIDO to have access to the platform.4. Raw materialsa. A High Level Conference on raw materials in Africa was organized by the EC, DGEnterprise, in January 2012 in Brussels. Recommendations were adopted toward areinforced cooperation, including in governance, infrastructure and geological services.b. A mining and taxation workshop was co-organized by the AUC and EC (DG DEVCO,ENTR, TAXUD) Addis, in December 2011.c. The EC/DG MARKET made a presentation on the EU legislative proposal on country bycountry reporting at the meeting of Senior Officials in December 2011 in Addis, inpreparation for the Meeting of African Ministers in charge of Natural Resources.d. The JEG discussed options for supporting the cooperation between African and Europeangeological services.5. StatisticsThe AUC and EC/EUROSTAT experts submitted a joint document on the ongoingcooperation on statistics. The JEG expressed its appreciation for the continuing progress inthis sector that provides an essential support for all areas of the JAES and for AUC policies.12