New EU Strategy for Africa – Earth observation at the forefront
The European Commission has adopted a new framework for a strategic partnership between the European Union and Africa. It sets out the way on how to support Africa’s efforts to get the continent back on track towards sustainable development and attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It focuses on key requirements for sustainable development such as peace and security, good and effective governance, trade, interconnectivity, social cohesion and environmental sustainability. In addition, it reaffirms the commitment to increase EU aid to Africa and to improve aid effectiveness.
The Strategy focuses on the key requirements without which sustainable development in Africa will not be possible: peace, security and good governance. It subsequently looks into action on key areas that create the necessary economic environment for development such as economic growth, trade and infrastructure. Finally, the strategy pushes for investing into areas with an important and direct impact on the fulfilment of the MDGs such as health and education, sanitation, and environment.
Space policy has been identified as a tool in support of sustainable development in Africa. Many Africans rely heavily on natural resources for their subsistence, particularly in times of crisis, for example during famines or conflicts or in the wake of natural disasters. However, Africa’s environment is fragile and prone to water shortages, climate change and desertification. Current population growth and agricultural expansion have caused land shortages and the intensification of agriculture has contributed to further land degradation. An estimated 65 million people living in or near forests depend on forest production for their livelihood. These forests are now coming under increasing pressure for commercial exploitation. The EU will therefore assist Africa to protect its environment, one of its most valuable assets.
The European Commission has already invested in this field. The Meteorological Transition in Africa Project (PUMA), has just been finalised, and will be followed by the African Monitoring of the Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD) which will be the African counterpart of the GMES initiative.
Through these projects and in implementing the principles laid down in the Communication, the European Commission will start a dialogue with the African Union Commission in order to assess how space technologies can be best used to support development policies in Africa, first in the field of environment, but also in the field of telecommunication (i.e. through tele-education projects, …) or of positioning (i.e. extension of the EGNOS system towards Africa).
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