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Webinar: EU-Africa Relations: Is it time to re-focus Denmark’s engagement?

3. februar 2022 kl. 14.45 - 16.00

African and European Union leaders are scheduled to meet in Brussels on 17-18 February 2022. What are the prospects for a successful AU-EU summit in February 2022 seen from a Danish Perspective?

The summit is taking place at a time when the world is still trying to find long-term answers to the health and economic crisis triggered by the Covid pandemic, and global actors, such as China, are consolidating their strong engagement in the region.

After years of slow progress in promoting a strategic and holistic geopolitical partnership between the two continents, the summit is an attempt to highlight ambitious projects supported by an Africa-Europe investment package. Issues on the agenda include public health resilience and local vaccine production, the development of sustainable energy infrastructure, Euro-African trade partnerships, and migration. 

The summit is an excellent opportunity to take a closer look at Africa-EU relations: What are the prospects for a successful summit, which can provide new impetus for cooperation? In a Danish context, the summit is also an opportunity to reexamine Denmark’s policy and ambitions: Should Denmark refocus its engagement, and aim to play a stronger role in the EU’s future strategic relationship with Africa? And if so, how?

Program
  • 14.45
    Welcome and introduction to the keynote speakers - by the moderator, Director of Think Tank EUROPA, Lykke Friis
  • 14.50
    Denmark’s priorities for the EU-Africa summit – by Flemming Møller Mortensen, Denmark’s Minister for Development Cooperation 

    EU-Africa relations: Same procedure as last time, or new impetus?
    - by Birgitte Markussen, Head of the EU’s Delegation in Addis Ababa and the EU’s Special Representative to the African Union

    What can the EU do to shape a geopolitical partnership with Africa? – by Gwamaka Kifukwe, Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations’ Africa Programme

    Q&A
  • 15.15
    What is the opinion of public opinion? Unveiling what is probably the first-ever representative survey of Danish views on cooperation with Africa – by Catharina Sørensen, deputy director, Think Tank EUROPA
  • 15.25
    Expectations for the EU-Africa summit - and views on Denmark’s engagement

    - Perspective from the business community – by Pia Yasuko Rask, Director, Grundfos Safe Water

    - Perspective from the academic community – by Flemming     Konradsen, Copenhagen University

    - Perspective from Folkekirkens nødhjælp – by Birgitte Qvist-Sørensen, General-sekretær Folkekirkens Nødhjælp

    - Expectations, hopes and fears among African youth – by Xorlali Yao-Kuma Kpodo, Engagment Manager i Grundfos Safe Water

    Q&A
     
  • 15.55
    Closing remarks – Kim Nøhr Skibsted, CEO, Poul Due Jensen Foundation
Emne

Information

Tidspunkt
Webinaret blev afholdt d. 3 februar 2022