South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his fellow African leaders are attending the 6th European Union-African Union Summit in the Belgian capital Brussels.
The two-day meeting, which starts on Thursday, aims to respond to the challenges created by the global Covid-19 pandemic which has severely affected African economies, especially among women and the youth, the South African presidency said.
While the agenda of the summit was extensive, the purpose for this year’s edition is to design and launch an ambitious Africa-Europe investment package which offered economic support to the continent, the office said.
Topping the agenda are growth financing, improving public health systems and vaccine production, the office said, noting that the Covid-19 pandemic amplified the continent’s challenges in these areas.
Probable solutions for infrastructure development, private sector integration and digital connectivity will also be discussed during the summit, the presidency said.
With the EU having been approached on several occasions to offer assistance in regions experiencing instability, another hot topic will be peace and security, it added.
Africa has seen a spate of coups d’etat in the Sudan, Mali, Guinea Conakry, and Burkina Faso recently – leaving a trail of setbacks to the continent’s democratic agenda.
NM/jn/APA