AU-EU summit calls for 'investment' in youth

Dozens of leaders, including Macron and Merkel, attend the two-day forum

ABIDJAN, Cote d'Ivoire - The 5th African Union-European Union Summit started on Wednesday in Abidjan, economic capital of Cote d'Ivoire, with "investing in youth for a sustainable future" as its theme.

Dozens of European and African leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and South African President Jacob Zuma, attended the meeting, which took place as Africa tries to tame high youth unemployment while Europe seeks relief from its migrant crisis and frequent terror attacks.

The meeting will discuss how to create jobs and enhance economic opportunities for Africa's young population, as Europe hopes to see African youths securing jobs in their home countries, thus shunning illegal immigration and terrorist recruitment.

Other partnership priorities to be discussed at the two-day forum include peace and security, governance, investment and trade.

Topics of migration and security have dominated the speeches at the opening ceremony, with leaders calling for more jobs and training for African youths and increasing funds and support for Africa's fight against terrorism.

"Migration will inevitably be an important part of our relationships in the years to come," said European Council President Donald Tusk.

Calling migration a "joint responsibility", Tusk said: "The worst we can do is to start the blame game."

Cote d'Ivoire President Alassane Ouattara said in his opening speech that training and employment of young people, rising terrorism and climate change are three major challenges that the EU and the AU must address.

The president called for the EU to expand access to African youth seeking education there, as well as increased investment in infrastructure and digitization.

Youngest continent

As the world's youngest continent, 60 percent of Africa's population is under the age of 25, a demographic asset that has created a huge labor pool yet to be fully utilized, due to a lack of industrialization. The ensuing high youth unemployment has fueled protests in some African countries and supplied illegal migration to Europe.

Europe, struggling to cope with the migrant influx and a rising anti-immigration sentiment, has called for tackling poverty and unemployment in Africa as the root cause of the uncontrolled immigration.

More than 100,000 migrants, mostly from Africa and Middle East, are making dangerous trips across the Mediterranean to Europe every year, which has evolved into a humanitarian crisis in recent years.

The UN refugee agency UNHCR said 148,200 migrants and refugees have taken the Mediterranean routes to enter Europe in the first nine months of this year, and 2,700 people reportedly died in the process. Many others were exposed to abuse, human trafficking and enslavement.

Recent footage showing African migrants being auctioned off like slaves in Libya, a transit hub for Europe-bound migrants, has sent shock waves across Africa. Several leaders have condemned the slavery in Libya and called for an end to the practice.

A statement issued by the European Commission said the UN, the EU and the AU have agreed to set up a joint task force to protect migrants and refugees along the routes and especially in Libya, facilitate voluntary returns and resettlement.

The summit is held in alternation between both continents, serving as a platform for dialogue between African and European nations. It was also the first time for the summit to be held in sub-Saharan Africa.

Xinhua - Reuters

(China Daily 12/01/2017 page11)