By Linus Aleke
The European Union (EU) last week, launched an ambitious campaign underlining the increasing significance of its long-standing partnership with Africa, and how it is transforming lives and inspiring hopes across the continents.
The European Union in a statement signed by its, Press Officer, Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Modestus Chukwulaka, explained that the Africa–EU campaign reflects on some of the initiatives that position the two continents as model, reliable, ambitious and dynamic partners.
The continental body also highlighted the strength of the partnership, which has brought together peoples and institutions of both continents in pursuit of common goals for a better world.
The statement further disclosed that the Africa-EU Campaign, tagged We See Africa, runs simultaneously in Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe, and builds on the resounding success of a previous one conducted across seven other African countries from 2020-2021.
Sensational music maestro, Teniola Akpata (Teni) and iconic brand influencer, Eniola Adeoluwa (Eni), EU said, are the faces of the campaign in Nigeria.
The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Samuela Isopi, posited that the EU will work with national influencers to express its shared values and aspirations; showcase local success stories generated by its partnership; and connect with a new audience of young Africans, leveraging the pop culture.
She said it is the biggest of its kind yet undertaken by the EU outside its borders, adding that Africa shares a rich history with the EU, its closest neighbour.
Collaborating with Africa to find the solution to common challenges, she added, is, more than ever before, a key priority for the EU.
Ondo, Sokoto PDP supporters defect en-mass to APC
The EU Envoy said that by strengthening their multi-dimensional cooperation and promoting sustainable development, both continents can co-exist in peace, security, democracy, prosperity, solidarity, and human dignity.
Isopi also noted that in the face of big challenges such as pandemics, security, finding green and digital solutions, climate change and migration, Africa and the EU have already proven to be more effective in working together.
She said, “Our long history of interaction and geographical proximity have over the years, inspired us to be creative and ambitious in the way we confront our common problems; preserve our shared values, and work towards our common interest and goals.
“Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, the largest democracy, and biggest economy, is a key partner of the EU within the African continent. The vibrancy, dynamism, motivation, and resilience of Nigeria’s mainly young population reflect the uniqueness of a continent fired up by imaginative ideas and relentless optimism.
“From the prism of Nigeria, the EU sees Africa within the context of its strategic partnership with Nigeria, it has been providing support to the country to promote peace and security, democratic governance and rule of law, human rights and freedoms, and prosperity.
“Key features of the EU’s cooperation with Nigeria include regular political and policy dialogues and strengthened collaboration to fight violent extremism, improve indices of human development, good governance, migration, trade, and regional integration.
“The Nigeria Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) 2021-27 launched in February 2022 provides the framework for the implementation of programmes under the EU’s development cooperation with Nigeria. The MIP focuses on three broad priority areas, namely: (i) Green and Digital Economy (ii) Governance, Peace, and Migration (iii) Human Development.”
Elaborating on the above three priority areas, the Ambassador said, its overarching priority is to support better prospects for Nigeria’s predominantly young population by tackling some of the critical challenges like unemployment, criminality, violent extremism, and armed conflict.
Isopi referenced the outstanding accomplishments recorded in recent times as the EU and Nigeria ramped up collaborations to address issues of common concerns, leveraging their strong partnership.
However, the Press Officer, Chukwulaka, said the EU remains Nigeria’s biggest trading partner, first investor, top donor of humanitarian and development aid, and the biggest diplomatic network.
Wike is a trusted, dependable ally, so I can’t abandon him – Ortom
He averred that the Nigeria-EU partnership has been ramped up in recent times to enhance growth and stability to achieve social equity in Nigeria and the West African region.
According to him, “The bloc is also Nigeria’s first partner in foreign direct investments, with EU companies contributing, together with their Nigerian business partners, to the country’s economic growth, job creation, and wealth generation.
“We look forward to further strengthening these relations and helping create the necessary conditions for the private sector to operate and contribute to developing the country.”
Speaking on its COVID-19 interventions in Nigeria, the spokesperson said, “Together with its member states, the EU is the biggest donor of COVID-19 vaccines to Nigeria, and has so far gifted it with 30 million doses, representing over 60 per cent of all donated vaccines received by Nigeria through the COVAX facility.
“Also addressed within the framework of the EU-Nigeria partnership are key development issues, including energy, food security, resilience, environmental sustainability, and climate change, and as well, enhance regional cooperation.”
He revealed that the EU alongside its Member States and European Development Finance Institutions, in July launched the €1.3bn Green Economy Team Europe Initiative, which pulls together some 60 projects, to assist Nigeria in achieving low carbon, resource-efficient, and climate-resilient development, creating jobs for youth and economic growth, focussing on climate-smart agriculture, circular and digital economy.
On the new campaign, an international relations commentator, Dr Anya Ezenwata, said the new partnership was a welcome development.
He counselled the Nigerian authorities to take advantage of the good initiative to maximally benefit the country. e described the EU as Nigeria’s best international partner, saying that Nigeria is the biggest beneficiary of EU scholarships in developing countries.
“Amongst these multilateral institutions in the country, the EU to a reasonable extent is more development oriented. They continued to support Nigeria in critical sectors of national life. Nigeria needs to collaborate and partner more with the EU to continue to enjoy its developmental programmes.
“Take it or leave it, EU is ahead of us, even though the development was a product of exploitation of our resources and enslavement of our forefathers, that is a story for another day,” he said.
A human rights activist, Mr. Oyewale Balogun, cautioned the Nigerian authorities against jumping at every offer from continental bodies, especially the ones that are Eurocentric.
He posited that the EU does not mean well for Africa and therefore, should not be trusted.
“Do you think European Union (EU), is altruistic? For every Euro they invest in Nigeria in terms of development, they seek five Euros in return. Take, for instance, they come here in the name of scholarship, pick our best brains in the guise of scholarship, train them to their specifications and use them to develop Europe.
“America and Canada are also doing the same. First, they started with the use of brute force. They came in the 17/18 century, took our forebearers in chains, use them as slaves, and force labourers to build all the infrastructure in Europe.
“They did not stop at that, they also, exploited our mineral resources free of charge, killed and deposed those who dared to challenge their wicked and dubious mineral and a land grappling expedition under imperial administration. In 1885, European leaders met at the infamous Berlin to divide African territories amongst themselves.
“All these atrocities were committed by force, today they are no longer using force because of International legal instruments but they are not relenting. My advice to our government is to be careful. The budget of 10 million Euros for a project in Nigeria for instance, brings in their nationals as consultants, facilitators, and contractors and at the end, the money goes back to their people,” he said.
He concluded that authorities involved should be very careful in negotiating or accepting any development programme from the EU, as it is often not altruistic.
